WALES

Police and Community Support Officers

Ann Clwyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what recent assessment he has made of the numbers of police officers and community support officers in Wales.

Don Touhig: This Government have delivered record police numbers to Wales. There were 7,448 police officers at the end of September 2004, an increase of 856, or around 13 per cent., since March 1997. Funding is now in place for nearly 300 community support officers.

Police and Community Support Officers

Hywel Francis: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what assessment he has made of the numbers of police officers and community support officers in Wales.

Don Touhig: This Government have delivered record police numbers to Wales. There were 7,448 police officers at the end of September 2004, an increase of 856, or around 13 per cent., since March 1997. Funding is now in place for nearly 300 Community Support Officers.

Child Poverty

Huw Irranca-Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what recent assessment he has made of measures to address child poverty in (a) Wales and (b) Ogmore.

Don Touhig: This Labour Government are delivering on their promise to tackle child poverty:
	228,000 working families in Wales benefit from the child tax credit
	an average of 30,000 babies born in Wales every year will benefit from the Child Trust Fund
	record increases in child benefit have produced a real terms increase of 25 per cent.
	I can tell my hon. Friend that in his constituency, 6,000 families benefited from the child tax credit.

National Assembly

Anthony Steen: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will take steps to increase the scope of the powers of the National Assembly for Wales.

Peter Hain: The Government of Wales Act 1998 provides for the transfer of additional functions to the National Assembly for Wales; other functions can be and have been transferred by primary legislation. Examples are responsibility for animal health by order under section 22 of the Government of Wales Act; responsibility for the Fire Service in the Fire Services and Rescue Act 2004 and responsibility for CAFCASS in the Children Act 2004.

Public Service Broadcasting

Kevin Brennan: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what discussions he has had with ministerial colleagues on the Ofcom report on public service broadcasting in Wales.

Don Touhig: My right hon. Friend and I have regular discussions with ministerial colleagues about matters affecting Wales. Ofcom's report addresses the changes necessary to protect Public Service Broadcasting in the run up to the digital age, and in particular in maintaining the plurality of service in the nations and regions.

Coal Health Claims Monitoring Group

Win Griffiths: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales when the Welsh sub-group of the coal health claims monitoring group last met; and what progress was reported on payments under the scheme.

Don Touhig: The Wales Monitoring Group met on Monday 24 January 2005 and reported progress for the whole of Wales showing that by mid January, a total of over £462 million had been paid out in Wales under both schemes.
	This figure has since increased by over £5 million bringing the total to over £467 million under both schemes.

INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Advertising

James Arbuthnot: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how many advertising contracts, and to what value, were signed by his Department in the periods (a) 1 September 2004 to 1 March 2005 and (b) 1 September 2003 to 1March 2004, broken down by (i) television, (ii) radio, (iii) press, (iv) direct mail and (v) other advertising.

Hilary Benn: DFID has only one advertising contract. This contract has been in place since 22 October 2001 and was extended for a further 12 months in November 2004. Under the terms of the contract no fee is levied on DFID for the services provided by the advertising agency. They negotiate fees on a commission basis with the media. The placement of adverts is agreed by DFID.

Asian Tsunami

Tom Brake: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development whether he has had discussions with the governments of the tsunami-affected countries about the representation of women on their tsunami reconstruction panels and task forces.

Hilary Benn: I have not had any discussions with the governments of tsunami-affected countries specifically about the representations of women on tsunami reconstruction panels and task forces. However, the Department for International Development (DFID) is working to ensure that the international response to the tsunami, which is being led by the affected Governments and international organisations such as the UN and the Asian Development Bank (ADB), focus on helping the poorest people and those often marginalised because of gender, caste, age, ethnicity or religion.
	For example, donors and the Government of Sri Lanka have agreed a set of Guiding Principles for post-tsunami relief and recovery. These provide the framework for all Government and donor initiatives and stipulate that the allocation of resources should be strictly guided by identified needs and local priorities, without discrimination on the basis of political, religious, ethnic or gender considerations. The taskforces will include Government, civil society, private sector and donor representatives and will reflect gender concerns. In India, we are actively engaging with the World Bank, Asian Development Bank (ADB) and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) to ensure that social inclusion and gender issues are central to the reconstruction and livelihoods work that they will be funding.

Bangladesh

Jeremy Corbyn: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development which civil society organisations in Bangladesh are supported by UK-funded aid programmes.

Hilary Benn: Department for International Development (DFID)'s Country Assistance Plan (CAP) 2003–06 to Bangladesh, emphasises access for the poor to resources and services, and the realisation of their rights. In working to achieve this, approximately 40 per cent. of DFID Bangladesh's programme is channelled through civil society organisations (CSO)—both through direct grants and indirectly through grants issued by DFID funded organisations, agencies and through large sector programmes. The Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) also supports some CSOs through their Small Grants Scheme (SGS).
	Some examples of Bangladesh CSOs funded by DFID are:
	Bangladesh Rural Advance Committee (BRAG) (£64 million over 13 years)-Specific BRAG programmes improving the quality of education and livelihoods of the poor.
	Nijera Kori (£5 million over 7 years)—An organisation lobbying to give poor people better access to decision making processes, resources and services.
	Transparency International Bangladesh Chapter (TIB) (£4 million over 5 years)—Working towards increased citizens' demand for transparency in public, non-profit and private sectors.
	Samata (£7 million over 7 years)—Improving livelihoods and empowerment of the landless poor.
	Bangladesh Legal Aid and Services Trust (BLAST) (£3 million over 5 years)—Providing legal services and advocacy for greater access to justice.
	CARE Bangladesh (£22 million over 12 years)—Enhancing livelihood security of poor people and improving the ability of public and private sectors to deliver more financial services them. Improving the quality and coverage of sustainable HIV/Aids programmes nationwide.
	Action Aid (£2 million over 10 years)—Increasing literacy rates and problem-solving skills, particularly for women.
	Friends in Village Development in Bangladesh (FIVDB) (£2 million over 7 years)—improving the quality of primary education through action learning.
	Under Privileged Children's Education Programme (UCEP) (£5 million over 3 years)—Giving urban working and underprivileged children access to basic education and skills training.
	DFID funds umbrella organisations that provide grants to smaller size CSOs/NGOs, for example Manusher Jonno (£14 million over 5 years) which provides grants to CSOs demanding better human rights and governance.
	In response to the 2004 floods in Bangladesh, DFID channelled funds to national and international NGOs in Bangladesh through United Nation Development Programme (UNDP) (£15 million) and World Food Programme (WFP)(£10 million).
	Several CSOs are funded through the central DFID Civil Society Challenge Fund and through regional and global Partnership Programme Agreements (PPAs) with international NGOs that have representation in Bangladesh.
	Some examples of CSOs funded by the FCO SGS are:
	Centre for Sustainable Development (CFSD)—Climate Change Education
	Democracy Watch—Media training on human rights
	Waste Concern—Environmental management for the private sector

Indonesia

John Battle: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what his Department's estimate is of the number of homeless refugees in the Puncak Jaya region in West Papua.

Hilary Benn: As at 31 January 2005 the number of homeless refugees in the Puncak Jaya region of West Papua stood at 14,071. DFID obtained this figure from information provided by the UN.

International Conference on Population and Development

Parmjit Dhanda: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if he will make a statement on the plan of action arising from the International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD); and what steps the UK Government are taking to help achieve the goals of the ICPD programme.

Hilary Benn: The UK Government remain firmly committed to the Cairo Programme of Action (POA) and its key goal of reproductive health for all by 2015. The UK believes that sexual and reproductive health are also fundamental human rights. DFID5s recently published position paper on Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights makes this position clear and we continue to invest strongly in reproductive health, such as recent multi-year increases in funding to the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) and the International Planned Parenthood Foundation (IPPF).
	Progress on the POA has been made since 1994. The recent regional International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD) plus 10 celebratory events in Asia and Latin America strongly demonstrated country ownership and commitment to the Cairo POA and how this has become a platform for real policy change at country level. The UK Government have also advocated vigorously to maintain the ICPD consensus within the UN and elsewhere. Tony Blair was the first Head of State to sign the World Leaders Statement in support of ICPD plus 10. DFID also continues to support country programmes via budgetary support and project funding to NGOs, and agencies such as the Global Fund, active in reproductive health supply security.
	The UK believes that sexual and reproductive health and rights are fundamental to attaining the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). Progress towards the attainment of the goals is currently being reviewed. The Sachs Millennium Project Review and accompanying Task Force Reports, all emphasise the importance of reproductive health and rights to the attainment of the MDGs. Access to reproductive health, a key feature of the Cairo POA, is identified within the main Sachs report as one of the quick wins"—solutions to implement now for speeding efforts to reduce poverty. DFID is therefore working with like-minded EU member states to ensure that positive reproductive health and rights messages strongly appear in the Secretary-General's report which is due in March.

Iraq

Martin Linton: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what progress has been made in the reconstruction of (a) hospitals and (b) civic and judicial buildings in Iraq since the end of the war in 2003; and if he will make a statement.

Hilary Benn: The Iraqi Ministry of Health is leading on the rehabilitation of health services in Iraq, working closely with international agencies including the World Health Organisation (WHO). The Ministry of Health reports that more than 75 hospitals and nearly all the primary care clinics which were damaged or looted during and after the 2003 conflict have been rehabilitated. Further work to construct and rehabilitate hospitals in Iraq is under way, and health services are gradually improving. More than $1 billion has been pledged in donor support to the health sector. In 2003, DFID provided £5 million to the WHO to enable it to assist the Iraqis on health issues, including improving the delivery of drugs and medical supplies. DFID is providing further support through its contribution to the United Nations and World Bank International Reconstruction Fund Facility for Iraq, and through the provision of an adviser to the Iraqi Ministry of Health on secondment from the UK Department of Health. United States agencies are renovating 19 hospitals and constructing a new Paediatric Hospital in Basra, and the Japanese Government are funding the rehabilitation of 11 general hospitals.
	The WHO is working to improve primary health care and emergency obstetric provision. The World Bank has agreed an emergency health and rehabilitation project to finance the rehabilitation of emergency services in 12 hospitals. Nevertheless, it will still take several years for Iraq's health sector to recover fully from the under-investment and poor management which it suffered under Saddam Hussein's regime, and approach the standards experienced in developed countries.
	Comprehensive figures on the numbers of civic and judicial buildings which have been rehabilitated in Iraq since May 2003 are not readily available. However, considerable progress has been made in rebuilding Iraq's civic infrastructure. In the first year after the conflict, DFID renovated over 50 public buildings in southern Iraq including hospitals, universities and governorate offices, enabling the resumption of public sector work and the continued provision of services to the Iraqi people. United States agencies carried out similar work in other parts of Iraq, are currently renovating buildings for three Ministries in Baghdad, and are planning the construction of new facilities for the Council of Judges, Court of Cassation and Central Criminal Court .

St. Helena

John MacDougall: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if he will make a statement on the progress of the establishment of an airport on St.Helena.

Mr. Gareth Thomas: Options to maintain future access for St. Helena are under consideration. Decisions will be taken, in consultation with the St. Helena Government, as soon as it is possible to do so.

ENVIRONMENT FOOD AND RURAL AFFAIRS

Bovine TB

Owen Paterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs when her Department was notified of the results of the four counties study on bovine tuberculosis in Ireland.

Ben Bradshaw: My Department was notified of the final results of the Irish four area trial at the time of publication in Preventive Veterinary Medicine on 5 January.

Bovine TB

Owen Paterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many outbreaks of bovine tuberculosis in cattle herds in Cumbria were judged by her officials to be caused by infection transmitted by purchased stock during 2004.

Ben Bradshaw: Seven of the 16 confirmed bovine tuberculosis breakdowns disclosed in Cumbria during 2004, were judged, to have been introduced through purchased stock. In a further incident, the source of infection was not definitive, however, purchased stock or contiguous contact were considered to be potential sources of infection. This number is provisional pending culture results for incidents disclosed in the last quarter of 2004.

BSE

Geoffrey Clifton-Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many cases of BSE in cattle were reported (a) in the UK and (b) in each EU country in the last year for which figures are available.

Ben Bradshaw: The information is as follows:
	(a) The number of BSE cases reported in the United Kingdom for 2004 is as follows:
	
		
			  Number 
		
		
			 Great Britain 309 
			 Northern Ireland 34 
			 United Kingdom 343 
		
	
	Source:
	DEFRA & DARD
	(b) The number of BSE cases reported in European Union member states in 2004 is as follows:
	
		
			 EU member state BSE cases reported 
		
		
			 Austria 0 
			 Belgium 11 
			 Cyprus 0 
			 Czech Republic 7 
			 Denmark 1 
			 Estonia 0 
			 Finland 0 
			 France 54 
			 Germany 59 
			 Greece 0 
			 Hungary 0 
			 Ireland 126 
			 Italy 7 
			 Latvia 0 
			 Lithuania 0 
			 Luxemburg 0 
			 Malta 0 
			 The Netherlands 6 
			 Poland 11 
			 Portugal 92 
			 Slovakia 7 
			 Slovenia 2 
			 Spain 131 
			 Sweden 0 
		
	
	Source:
	OIE

Carbon Dioxide Emissions

Simon Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs 
	(1)  what estimate she has made of the amount of carbon dioxide emitted by private pleasure craft in each year since the Energy Products Directive came into force;
	(2)  what estimate she has made of the annual change in the level of carbon dioxide emissions that would take place if the rebate on diesel for private leisure craft under the Energy Products Directive were to end in 2006.

John Healey: This information is not available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

Cattle Transportation

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what requirements exist in respect of the transportation of pregnant cattle; and if she will make a statement.

Ben Bradshaw: The Welfare of Animals (Transport) Order 1997 prohibits transport of an animal unless it is fit for the intended journey and suitable provision has been made for its care. An animal that is likely to give birth during transport is not fit for transport. There no requirements specific to the transport of pregnant cows.

Cattle Transportation

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs 
	(1)  what estimate she has made of the proportion of pregnant cattle transported which had calves that died before or at birth since 1997;
	(2)  what estimate she has made of the proportion of cattle transported which were pregnant in each year since 1997.

Ben Bradshaw: Defra does not hold this information.

Contaminated Land

Paul Holmes: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs 
	(1)  how much financial assistance has been given to meet the capital costs of site investigation and clean up of contaminated land in each of the last three years (a) in total and (b) broken down by local authority; and if she will make a statement;
	(2)  how much has been given to local authorities through the Contaminated Land Supplementary Credit Approval programme in each of the last three years; which authorities have received funding through this programme; how local authorities' expenditure through the programme is monitored; and if she will make a statement;
	(3)  what sites of contaminated land have been (a) investigated and (b) cleaned up under the auspices of (i) local authorities and (ii) the Environment Agency in each of the last three years; and if she will make a statement.

Elliot Morley: Tables A-D will be made available in the Library of the House. Support to local authorities given under Defra's Contaminated Land capital projects programme is shown in Table A. The Environment Agency's Contaminated Land capital programme is shown at Table B, with an indication of the local authority area involved. Figures for 2004–05 are not yet available.
	Under Part IIA of the Environmental Protection Act 1990, investigation is undertaken to decide whether or not land is contaminated land" as defined. Investigations also take place in other contexts and central records are not kept. Information about clean-up" is only available where Defra and Environment Agency funding programmes are involved and is shown in Tables C1–3 and D. This includes work in progress.
	Under the Defra programme successful authorities are required to provide mid financial year progress reports. Final returns, certified by the authority's Chief Finance Officer, are provided at the end of the financial year showing actual expenditure incurred on each project. Full details of our monitoring requirements are set out in A Guide for English Local Authorities" which is made available to each authority.

Contaminated Land

Paul Holmes: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs 
	(1)  what financial assistance she makes available to local authorities to compensate residents living on contaminated land where the owners of the land have gone into liquidation; and if she will make a statement;
	(2)  if she will make a statement on compensation from local authorities for residents living on contaminated land.

Elliot Morley: Under Part MA of the Environmental Protection Act 1990 local authorities are under a statutory duty to inspect their areas to identify contaminated land as defined in the Act, and to secure its remediation in accordance with the detailed provisions of the regime. DETR Circular 02/2000 Contaminated Land" contains statutory guidance including detailed liability rules as to who is the appropriate person(s) to bear responsibility for remediation. In line with the polluter-pays principle, this is normally the person who caused or knowingly permitted the presence of the substances causing the problem. Where this person cannot be found, for example because the company no longer exits or has gone into liquidation, the landowner may be the appropriate person, subject to the Act and guidance.
	The Act recognises that, particularly in the case of private individuals owning land, costs of remediation might cause hardship. Section 78P(2) of the Act requires local authorities to have regard to hardship and to statutory guidance when serving remediation notices, or recovering costs, and there is provision for remediation costs to be waived or reduced in certain circumstances. Charging notices may be used in certain cases to recover costs where local authorities carry out remediation on behalf of appropriate persons, which allows recovery to be deferred until land is sold. The regime does not provide compensation to any individuals, unless they are required to grant rights in order that remediation can be carried out.

Energy Conservation

Hugh Bayley: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how much the Government has spent on energy conservation in (a) York and (b) Yorkshire in each year since 1996–97.

Elliot Morley: holding answer 23 February 2005
	Defra currently provides grant funding for energy efficiency through four main routes. These organisations or programmes undertake work at a national or UK level. Previous to 2001 some of the activities undertaken by the Carbon Trust and Energy Saving Trust were carried out under the Energy Efficiency Best Practice Programme which was also UK wide. The Trusts' programmes have no specific levels of funding attributed to particular regions and therefore no figures for these programmes are given as follows:
	The Warm Front programme—to provide energy efficiency measures to the vulnerable.
	The Community Energy programme—capital and development funding to refurbish existing and install new community heating schemes.
	The Carbon Trust—to support and promote energy efficiency and low carbon innovation for business and public sector.
	The Energy Saving Trust—to support and promote energy efficiency in the household sector.
	Warm Front
	The total annual estimated expenditure on energy efficiency measures under the Home Energy Efficiency Scheme in the City of York and North Yorkshire from June 1997 to May 2000 was:
	
		£
		
			  City of York North Yorkshire 
		
		
			 1996–97 177,000 1,180,000 
			 1997–98 97,000 4,955,000 
			 1998–99 202,000 5,332,000 
			 1999–2000 82,000 6,234,000 
		
	
	From the launch of the new Home Energy Efficiency Scheme now known as Warm Front in June 2000 until the end of January 2005 the total approximate expenditure for these areas was:
	
		£
		
			  City of York North Yorkshire 
		
		
			 2000–01 46,000 2,980,000 
			 2001–02 176,000 18,500.000 
			 2002–03 233,000 19,500,000 
			 2003–04 112,000 15,890,000 
			 2004–05 (Up to end of January 2005) 81,000 17,000,000 
		
	
	Note:
	The figures quoted for North Yorkshire include the following areas East Riding, North Yorkshire, South Yorkshire, West Yorkshire and Kingston upon Hull.
	Community Energy programme
	There has been no programme spend in York, but the Yorkshire spend figures are as follows.
	
		
			  £ 
		
		
			 1996–02 (1)— 
			 2002–03 No spend 
			 2003–04 53,000 
			 2004–05 (2)33,000 
		
	
	(1) Programme not up and running until 2002–03.
	(2) To date.

EU Committees

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many times during the (a) Italian, (b) Irish and (c) Dutch presidency of the EU the Management Committee for fisheries products met; when and where these meetings took place; what UK Government expert was present; and if she will make a statement.

Ben Bradshaw: The Management Committee for fisheries products routinely meets in Brussels at one of the Commission's meeting facilities. The dates of the meetings during the Italian, Irish and Dutch presidencies of the EU are given as follows. Representatives from the UK Fisheries Departments were present at virtually all of these meetings. The exact nature and number of representatives depended on the subjects under discussion, with experts on marketing standards, support prices, producer organisations, tariff quotas and other relevant issues, being present as necessary.
	Italian presidency
	10 July 2003
	12 September 2003
	7 October 2003
	7 November 2003
	8 December 2003
	Irish presidency
	25 March 2004
	23 April 2004
	13 May 2004
	24 June 2004
	Dutch presidency
	15 September 2004
	7 October 2004
	13 October 2004
	12 November 2004
	8 December 2004

EU Committees

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many times during the (a) Italian, (b) Irish and (c) Dutch presidency of the EU the Management Committee for the fisheries and aquaculture sector met; when and where these meetings took place; what UK Government expert was present; and if she will make a statement.

Ben Bradshaw: The EU Committee for the fisheries and aquaculture sector routinely meets in Brussels at one of the Commission's meeting facilities. The dates of the meetings during the Italian, Irish and Dutch Presidencies of the EU are given as follows. Representatives from the UK Fisheries Departments were present at all of these meetings. The exact nature and number of representatives depended on the subjects under discussion, with experts on control and enforcement, fleet policy and statistics being present as necessary.
	Italian Presidency
	15 July 2003
	1 October 2003
	20 October 2003
	19 November 2003
	9 December 2003
	Irish Presidency
	14 January 2004
	11 February 2004
	10 March 2004
	20 April 2004
	Dutch Presidency
	6 and 7 July 2004
	9 September 2004
	13 October 2004
	17 November 2004
	14 December 2004

EU Committees

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many times during the (a) Italian, (b) Irish and (c) Dutch Presidency of the EU the Advisory Committee on Community policy regarding forestry and forest-based industries met; when and there these meetings took place; what UK Government expert was present; and if she will make a statement.

Ben Bradshaw: The EU Advisory Committee on Community Policy regarding forestry and forest-based industries did not meet during the Italian and Irish Presidencies; it met once during the Dutch Presidency and this meeting took place in Brussels on 16 November 2004. There was no UK Government expert present at the meeting, which was attended by individuals from the UK forest-based industries private sector.

EU Committees

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many times during the (a) Italian, (b) Irish and (c) Dutch presidency of the EU the Committee for the adaptation to technical and scientific progress and implementation of the directive on urban waste-water treatment met; when and where these meetings took place; which UK Government expert was present; and if she will make a statement.

Elliot Morley: The information is as follows:
	Italian presidency—July to December 2003
	The Committee met over 1–2 September 2003 when five delegates from the UK attended.
	Irish presidency—January to June 2004
	The Committee met twice on 19 April, when one UK delegate attended, and 1–2 June when no UK delegate attended.
	Dutch presidency—July to December 2004
	The Committee met three times over 22–23 July when no UK delegate attended; 7–8 October when one UK delegate attended; 23 November 2004 when four delegates from the UK attended.
	All the meetings were held in Brussels.
	A series of Command Papers on developments in the EU—Cm6174 laid in April 2004, Cm6310 laid in September 2004 and Cm6450 laid in February 2005, cover the periods of the above presidencies and are available on the FCO website at: www.fco.gov.uk/commandpapers.

EU Committees

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many times during the (a) Italian, (b) Irish and (c) Dutch Presidency of the EU the Management Committee on application of the Directive on the standardisation and rationalisation of reports on the implementation of certain Directives relating to the environment met; when and where these meetings took place; which UK Government expert was present; and if she will make a statement.

Elliot Morley: During the Irish, Italian and Dutch Presidencies in 2003 and 2004 there were no Management Committee meetings on this issue. The Management Committee on the application of the Standardised Reporting" Directive (91/692/EEC) last met in 1997. In 2002 the Commission started work on a new framework for environmental reporting in response to the 6th Environment Action Programme. An Expert Group was set up to discuss Commission proposals for a Directive. This group last met in October 2002. There is as yet no formal proposal for a Directive, and no Management Committee has been convened. In the event of any meeting being scheduled, officials will, as a matter of course, liaise with their counterparts in the Scottish Executive and the other devolved Administrations.

EU Committees

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many times during the (a) Italian, (b) Irish and (c) Dutch presidency of the EU the Committee for the Protection of Species of Wild Fauna and Flora by Regulating Trade met; when and where these meetings took place; what UK Government expert was present; and if she will make a statement.

Elliot Morley: The EC CITES Committee on Trade in Wild Fauna and Flora met three times during the Italian presidency (1 July 2003, 19 September 2003 and 13 November 2003), twice during the Irish presidency (29 January 2004 and 20 April 2004) and twice during the Dutch presidency (2 July 2004 and 14 December 2004). All meetings took place in Brussels. UK representation normally comprises officials from my Department, supported where necessary by scientific advisers from the Royal Botanic Gardens at Kew or the Joint Nature Conservation Committee. Business at these meetings concentrated mainly on issues relating to implementation of the European Wildlife Regulations and preparation for the 13th Conference of Parties to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) held in Bangkok in October 2004.

EU Committees

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many times during the (a) Italian, (b) Irish and (c) Dutch Presidency of the EU the Committee on the Conservations, Characterisation, Collection and Utilisation of Genetic Resources in Agriculture met; when and where these meetings took place; what UK Government expert was present; and if she will make a statement.

Elliot Morley: The Committee on the Conservations, Characterisation, Collection and Utilisation of Genetic Resources in Agriculture had no meetings during the Italian and Dutch Presidencies of the EU. The Committee met twice (26 April and 21 June 2004) during the Irish Presidency. On both occasions the United Kingdom was represented by Defra officials responsible for policy issues on Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture.
	Regulation 870/2004 is now in force and the Commission are preparing the Call for Proposals documentation which will be advertised in the Official Journal shortly.

EU Committees

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many times during the (a) Italian, (b) Irish and (c) Dutch presidency of the EU the (i) Scientific Review Group for the protection of species of wild fauna and flora by regulating trade, (ii) Committee on the Community action programme in the field of civil protection and (iii) Committee on the control of major accident hazards involving dangerous substances (Seveso II) met; when and where these meetings took place; what UK Government experts were present; and if she will make a statement.

Elliot Morley: The details relating to these Committees are as follows:
	(i) The Scientific Review Group (SRG) met once during the Italian presidency (9 October 2003), twice under the Irish presidency (15 January and 19 April 2004) and twice under the Dutch presidency (1 July and 13 December 2004). All meetings were held in Brussels and were attended by Defra's scientific advisors from the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew and the Joint Nature Conservation Committee (JNCC).
	(ii) The Committee for the Action Programme and for the Mechanism in the field of Civil Protection met once during the Italian presidency (28 November 2003), twice during the Irish presidency (26–27 February and 3–4 June 2003) and once during the Dutch presidency (21–22 October 2004). All meetings took place in Brussels and were attended by officials from the Cabinet Office.
	(iii) The Committee on the control of major accident hazards involving dangerous substances (Seveso II) met once during each of the Italian, Irish and Dutch presidencies, in Cagliari, Sardinia (16 October 2003), Dublin (13 May 2004) and Amsterdam (7 October 2004) respectively. The UK representatives were from the Health and Safety Executive and the Environment Agency.

EU Fisheries

Austin Mitchell: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs 
	(1)  under which European Court decisions the common fisheries policy has been changed to exclusive competence over the marine biological resources of the seas in the EU constitution;
	(2)  whether the exclusive competence over marine resources of the sea provided for in the EU constitution will necessitate the development of a common policy on other marine vertebrates and invertebrates.

Ben Bradshaw: Existing Community competence over marine biological resources under the common fisheries policy derives from article 102 of the UK treaty of accession. The EU constitutional treaty does not change the current arrangements.

EU Fisheries

John Hayes: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will make a statement on the (a) budget and (b) role of the European Fisheries Fund.

Ben Bradshaw: The budget for the European Fisheries Fund remains to be negotiated. The European Commission has proposed that the figure for the whole of the European Union should be €4.963 billion. Decisions have yet to be taken on the Financial Perspective for the period 2007–13, from which the amount for EFF spending will be derived. The UK believes the budget proposed by the Commission for the financial perspective is unaffordable.
	The proposed fund aims to:
	Support the CFP to ensure sustainable exploitation of natural marine resources and the protection of the environment;
	Promote a sustainable balance between resources and fleet capacity, strengthen economic competitiveness and improve the quality of life in fishing communities; and
	Promote equality between women and men in the sector.

Fallen Stock

Geoffrey Clifton-Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs within what time scale farmers should expect their fallen stock to be collected under the fallen stock scheme.

Ben Bradshaw: Under the Animal By-Products Regulations 2003 farmers must arrange collection or other disposal of fallen stock without undue delay. The National Fallen Stock Company has said that it would normally expect fallen stock collectors to collect carcases within 48 hours following notification.

Fallen Stock

Geoffrey Clifton-Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what measures she is taking to ensure that the fallen stock scheme works effectively in all areas.

Ben Bradshaw: This is a matter for the National Fallen Stock Company (NFSCo) which has been set up jointly by government and the farming industry to run the scheme. Generally, the scheme is working well in most areas of the UK but the company is aware that the service in some areas requires improvement and is actively addressing this with the local collection industry.

Fallen Stock

Ian Liddell-Grainger: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs 
	(1)  how many companies are registered to collect fallen stock;
	(2)  how many companies registered to collect fallen stock are hunt kennels.

Ben Bradshaw: Over 360 approvals have been granted to establishments under Regulation (EC) No 1774/2002 to allow them to collect and/or treat Category 1 and 2 animal by-products (including fallen stock). Of this number 143 are hunt kennels.
	In practice not all of the establishments referred to above will be engaged in the collection of fallen stock. Under the National Fallen Stock Scheme, there are currently 126 collectors registered, of which 25 are hunt kennels.
	These latter figures include some freelance collectors, who do not require approval under the Regulation, but who must consign any collected carcases to an appropriately approved plant for disposal.

Fallen Stock

Roger Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what mechanisms are in place to monitor the National Fallen Stock Scheme.

Ben Bradshaw: The National Fallen Stock Company (NFSCo) which is running the Scheme has Government representation on its Board to ensure that government funding is spent properly. In addition NFSCo is subject to the normal financial and audit controls which apply to a Limited Company. With regard to the operation of the Scheme the Company actively seeks feedback from its members on the service provided and records are kept of calls to the helpline and of complaints received to inform improvements to service provision. NFSCo has also engaged the State Veterinary Service to inspect collection premises and vehicles to enable compliance with Scheme rules, in particular in relation to biosecurity.

Fallen Stock

Roger Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many complaints the National Fallen Stock Company has received to date.

Ben Bradshaw: The National Fallen Stock Company Ltd. reports that as of 11 February 2005 it had received 282 complaints. Of these 84 were in relation to the collection of fallen stock. This is out of some 30,000 collections in the same period.

Fallen Stock

Roger Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the maximum recommended time period is under the National Fallen Stock Scheme for the collection of fallen stock.

Ben Bradshaw: The National Fallen Stock Company has said that under most circumstances it would normally expect fallen stock collectors to collect carcases within 48 hours following notification.

Fallen Stock

Roger Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment she has made of the average costs of the collection of fallen stock to farmers subscribing to the National Fallen Stock Scheme (a) in the last year before and (b) since the Scheme began.

Ben Bradshaw: None. Information of this nature is not collected by the Department.

Fallen Stock

Roger Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many collections under the National Fallen Stock Scheme since its implementation have occurred 48 hours or more after the animals death was reported to the National Fallen Stock Company.

Ben Bradshaw: Although comprehensive information of this nature is not collected the National Fallen Stock Company Ltd. reports that as of 11 February 2005 it had received 62 complaints regarding collections that were not made within 48 hours of the animals' death being reported.

Fallen Stock

Roger Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what plans she has to raise the (a) registration and (b) other fees payable by farmers subscribing to the National Fallen Stock Scheme.

Ben Bradshaw: None. The setting of registration fees for farmers subscribing to the National Fallen Stock Scheme is for the National Fallen Stock Company Board to decide. The Board also sets the percentage rate by which farmers' collection costs are reduced using the government contribution to the Scheme. No other fees are payable by farmers with regard to subscribing to the Scheme.

Fallen Stock

Mark Todd: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will make a statement on the compliance of delivery of information systems for the National Fallen Stock Scheme with the original (a) schedule, (b) functionality specification and (c) budget.

Ben Bradshaw: The IT system was delivered to enable the Scheme to begin in the autumn of 2004 which was as previously announced by the National Fallen Stock Company. However, further work is taking place to provide full functionality in respect of financial and reporting systems. Defra previously announced it would provide £1 million towards setting up the system. The final cost will not be known until full functionality is in place, but it is likely to be close to this figure.

Flooding

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will make a statement on the role of (a) regional resilience teams and (b) regional flood defence committees; and what discussions each has with local planning authorities (i) on preventing flooding and (ii) building on functional floodplains.

Elliot Morley: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave her on 3 February 2005, Official Report, column 1023W, where I stated that the Government have set up a Regional Resilience Team in each of the English regions to enhance the co-ordination of planning for wide impact events, such as major flooding, and to improve lines of communication between central Government and local responders during the response to an incident. These arrangements worked successfully in relation to the Boscastle and Carlisle floods.
	The Environment Agency (EA) is required by section 106 of the Water Resources Act 1991 to carry out most of its flood defence functions through regional flood defence committees (RFDCs). The committees in particular take decisions about the annual programmes of improvement and maintenance work to be carried out by the Agency and oversee other aspects of the Agency's work and operations. RFDCs also decide on such matters as the extension of main rivers, the making and operation of land drainage byelaws and various issues affecting any internal drainage boards in their area. They are required annually to approve estimates of expenditure and to determine the amounts to be levied by the Agency on constituent councils.
	Through Planning Policy Guidance Note 25 (PPG25) the Government have given strengthened guidance to local planning authorities regarding inappropriate development in areas of flood risk. The EA (in conjunction with RFDCs) provides advice to local planning authorities on planning applications in areas at risk of flooding and this is used by the authorities in reaching decisions. The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister and Defra have recently consulted on the need to revise PPG25 and whether the EA should be made a statutory consultee on proposals for development in flood risk areas.
	Regional Resilience Teams have been established to enhance the co-ordination of major events and incidents and are not involved in the development control process.

Foot and Mouth

Paul Flynn: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the 10 largest amounts paid to valuers in each county in relation to the foot and mouth epidemic were.

Ben Bradshaw: A national fee structure applied to reimbursement of valuer's fees for valuations undertaken during the 2001 foot and mouth disease outbreak. The fee agreement was a fee of 1 per cent. of the valuation total, subject to a £500 per day minimum and a £1,500 per day maximum per valuer.
	Individual valuers often worked across a number of disease emergency control centres and animal health offices which themselves covered more than one county.
	Information on the 10 largest amounts paid to individual valuers in each county is not held centrally and can be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Foot and Mouth

Paul Flynn: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs 
	(1)  what assessment she has made of a possible link between the level of commission paid to valuers in the foot and mouth epidemic and the level of their valuations;
	(2)  if she will take steps to uncouple the link between fees paid to valuers and the levels of commissions paid to them for assessments of animals to be destroyed due to disease.

Ben Bradshaw: A review of the system for valuation was undertaken after the foot and mouth disease outbreak in 2001. A national list of valuers, approved on the basis of their qualifications and experience in livestock valuation, has been set up. There are 280 valuers covering England and Wales. There is a separate list for Scotland, though valuers on either list can be used both sides of the border. The lists are for use in any future outbreak of exotic disease e.g. foot and mouth disease, classical swine fever and Newcastle disease.
	Fees will be paid on the basis of £100 per hour for time spent carrying out the valuation and reasonable travelling from office to office. As fees in the future will be based on an hourly rate, they will not be related to the level of valuation of the livestock.

Foot and Mouth

Paul Flynn: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what changes took place in the average amount paid in compensation for (a) sheep and (b) cattle during the foot and mouth epidemic in each month of the epidemic.

Ben Bradshaw: The average amount paid in compensation for both sheep and cattle is as follows:
	
		
			  Average 
			 Month Sheep Cattle 
		
		
			 February 62 547 
			 March 122 988 
			 April 159 1,182 
			 May 200 1,467 
			 June 229 1,689 
			 July 292 1,478 
			 August 220 1,455 
			 September 176 1,308 
			 October 108 2,010 
		
	
	The amounts shown are rounded to the nearest whole £.

Foot and Mouth

Geoffrey Clifton-Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs 
	(1)  which countries are recorded as having endemic foot and mouth disease;
	(2)  what steps are taken to prevent direct or indirect imports from countries which have endemic foot and mouth disease.

Ben Bradshaw: Defra does not hold separately, a list of countries that are recorded as having endemic foot and mouth disease (FMD). The internationally recognised central source for official information on the distribution of animal diseases such as FMD is the Office International des Epizooties (OIE). Also known as the World Organisation for Animal Health, the OIE is the world organisation responsible for the collection and dissemination of information on international animal health—it has a role analogous to the World Health Organisation (WHO):
	Information on FMD can be found on their website, at the following address: http://www.oie.int/eng/info/en_fmd.htm.
	Rather than listing countries in which FMD is considered to be endemic, the OIE lists countries and regions that are considered to be free of FMD, broken down into those that are free and do not vaccinate; and those that are free and do vaccinate against the disease.
	European Community legislation permits the importation of meat from certain countries where FMD is present, but only where the disease is officially recognised as being restricted to specific areas and effective movement controls are in place within the country. Imports are permitted either from parts of the country that are free of disease or under strict conditions that ensure the meat does not come from any animal that may have come in contact with FMD before, during and after slaughter. These provisions are in line with the guidelines established by the OIE.
	All meat imported from third countries must be accompanied by veterinary certification. This must confirm that the meat is derived from animals which have been subjected to a veterinary inspection during the 24 hours prior to slaughter and showed no signs of FMD.
	Community legislation does not permit imports of livestock (cattle, sheep, pigs and goats) from countries with FMD.
	If there is an outbreak of disease likely to present a risk to human or animal health, Community legislation allows us to take appropriate safeguard action, which may include a ban on imports of animals and animal products from all, or parts, of that country.
	All meat and animals imported into the EU from third countries must enter at designated border inspection posts where they are subject to veterinary inspections. All consignments are subject to documentary and identity checks. At least 20 per cent. of consignments of animal products undergo physical checks, and a number of animals in each consignment are physically checked. These checks ensure import conditions are met.
	For personal imports meat and dairy products are banned from most countries outside the EU. Customs are responsible for enforcement at the border. Defra and Customs undertake publicity campaigns to make the public aware of the rules relating to personal food imports.

Foot and Mouth

Geoffrey Clifton-Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs 
	(1)  whether the contiguous cull used in the last foot and mouth outbreak would be implemented in a future outbreak;
	(2)  whether vaccines would be used in a future outbreak of foot and mouth disease.

Ben Bradshaw: The decision tree published as part of the foot and mouth disease (FMD) contingency plan on the Defra website sets out the factors that the Government would take into account in deciding disease control strategy including vaccination or different approaches to culling in a future outbreak. The disease control strategy adopted will depend on many factors.
	The EU directive gives greater prominence to the potential use of emergency vaccination in the event of an outbreak as an adjunct to this basic slaughter policy. Article 14 of the directive places a duty on member states
	to prepare all arrangements necessary for emergency vaccination in an area at least the size of the Surveillance Zone"
	as soon as the first case of FMD is confirmed.
	The Government will consider emergency vaccination as a disease control option from the start of any outbreak of FMD on the basis of vaccinate to live. The vaccines held by the UK are suitable for use in emergency vaccination. This is in line with the recommendations of the main FMD inquiries. The circumstances in which vaccination might be used are illustrated in the vaccination scenarios published last year on the Defra website.
	The decision tree makes it clear that other forms of culling beyond that on infected premises and dangerous contacts are not ruled out.

Foot and Mouth

Geoffrey Clifton-Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what contingency plan is in place in case of an outbreak of foot and mouth disease; and what elements of the plan drew on the experience of the outbreaks of 1967 and 2001.

Ben Bradshaw: The measures that the Government would take in the event of an outbreak of foot and mouth disease are set out in the Defra FMD Contingency Plan, the latest version of which was laid before Parliament at the end of March 2004. These include the immediate imposition of movement controls on all susceptible livestock, strict biosecurity guidance and enhanced options for controlling disease. Vaccination would be considered from the onset of an outbreak in addition to the culling of all susceptible animals on infected premises and those that have been exposed to infection, as required by EU law.
	We are engaging with operational partners and with stakeholders to ensure they are aware of their responsibilities and the measures that would be taken in an outbreak. Plans are also in place in the event of an outbreak to enable a rapid increase in resources and for the implementation of contingency contracts, including that for emergency vaccination. We have revised the instructions for staff and are ensuring that they are trained and equipped to deal with an outbreak of disease. A revised version of the contingency plan, incorporating lessons learned form the national Foot and Mouth Disease Exercise held last June, will be issued for public consultation shortly.
	The current FMD contingency plan reflects lessons learned from the outbreaks of FMD in 1967 and 2001. The vast majority of the recommendations of the Northumberland Committee after the 1967 outbreak were applied during the 2001 outbreak. Such elements of the response in 2001 as bringing in senior administrators to allow vets to be relieved of non veterinary duties such as carcase disposal and cleansing and disinfection, and calling in the armed forces, resulted from the experiences of the 1967 outbreak and remain in the contingency plan. Lessons learned from 2001 and from the inquiries thereafter have resulted in the contingency plan including revised policies including the immediate imposition of a GB national movement ban on susceptible animals, closure of footpaths only within the 3 km protection zone and a hierarchy of disposal options for carcases headed by incineration and rendering. They have also led to the inclusion in the plan of senior management structures and systems that would be established in an outbreak.

Free Trade

Ian Liddell-Grainger: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment she has made of the impact on biodiversity in developing countries of allowing free trade in agricultural products.

Elliot Morley: In 2004 my Department commissioned a review of the literature on the implications of trade liberalisation for sustainable development, which included an initial assessment of the impact on biodiversity in developing countries of freer trade in agricultural products. The report, The Implications of Trade and Investment Liberalisation for Sustainable Development: Review of Literature", is available on the Defra website.
	The Department subsequently has commissioned new research which will include further assessment of the impact on biodiversity of trade liberalisation in agricultural products. The report is expected to be published this July.
	In addition, the European Commission has released recently its draft sustainability impact assessment on agriculture which includes a more comprehensive assessment of the impact on biodiversity of freer trade in agricultural products. The draft report is available on the website of the Institute for Development Policy and Management at Manchester University.
	The assessments carried out to date show that the impacts on biodiversity of liberalising trade in agricultural products depend upon a range of factors, including the location and type of agricultural activity being undertaken. However, the assessments suggest that there could be negative impacts on biodiversity in some areas and hence a need to develop policies to mitigate any such impacts.

Game Birds

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will seek to legislate to ensure that game birds are reared in humane conditions.

Ben Bradshaw: Under the Protection of Animals Act 1911 it is already an offence to cause unnecessary suffering to a domestic or captive animal in the keeping of man, this includes game birds that are being kept for rearing.
	The proposed Animal Welfare Bill would allow certain animal related activities to be regulated by use of secondary legislation. It is proposed that game bird rearing should be subject to a Government code of practice to help secure the welfare of the birds.
	The Animal Welfare Bill will also introduce an offence of failing to promote the welfare of an animal kept by man. The duty to promote welfare will apply to those responsible for captive game birds.

Game Birds

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will consult interested groups which are critical of current game bird rearing practices; and if she will make a statement.

Ben Bradshaw: The proposed Animal Welfare Bill would allow certain animal related activities to be regulated. It is proposed that game bird rearing should be subject to Government codes of practice made under the Bill. Any proposals will be subject to wide consultation.

GM Crops

Ian Liddell-Grainger: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs when she expects to announce the formal consultation on co-existence measures and the GM planting regime.

Elliot Morley: In collaboration with the devolved Administrations we held a series of stakeholder workshops last Autumn as the first phase of consultation on co-existence measures for GM and non-GM crops. As the second phase of consultation we are now developing a package of specific proposals and options. This is not expected to be published before the summer. Once published everyone will get a chance to contribute to, and comment upon, our proposals.
	It remains the Government's clear intention to introduce co-existence measures before any commercial cultivation of GM crops takes place in the UK. No commercial cultivation is expected here before 2008 at the earliest, so we have time for a thorough consideration of this issue.

Greenhouse Gases

Barry Sheerman: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what steps her Department is taking to ensure that implementation of the EU Greenhouse Gas Emissions Trading Directive takes into account the national climate change target of achieving a 20 per cent. cut in emissions of carbon dioxide between 1990 and 2010.

Elliot Morley: The UK is on course to exceed its Kyoto Protocol target of a 12.5 per cent. reduction in CO 2 emissions on 1990 levels during 2008–12. The Climate Change Programme expects emissions of carbon dioxide to be about 14 per cent. below 1990 levels in 2010. The impact of the EU Emissions Trading Scheme will contribute to further savings.
	The total number of allowances to be allocated in the UK National Allocation Plan for Phase I (2005–07) are significantly below (c.5 per cent.) the finalised emissions projections for this period (subject to Commission approval). This takes the UK ahead of other member states, in terms of effort against business as usual.
	The Government have stated that the overall number of allowances to be allocated for Phase II (2008–12) should be consistent with the trading sector's contribution to the achievement of our goal to reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 20 per cent. below 1990 levels by 2010. The Climate Change Programme review will consider what that contribution will be.

Meat (Illegal Imports)

Geoffrey Clifton-Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many successful prosecutions of those illegally importing meat into the UK there have been in each of the last eight years.

Ben Bradshaw: Details of prosecutions taken by local authorities specifically for offences relating to illegal import of meat into the UK are held by individual local authorities and are not held centrally.
	HM Customs and Excise have had responsibility for anti smuggling controls on products of animal origin since 11 April 2003. In the year April 2003-March 2004, no prosecutions were taken by HM Customs and Excise for Products of Animal Origin (POAO) illegal import offences. In the year April 2004-March 2005, they have prosecuted six people for imports contrary to the POAO regulations.

Protected Birds

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will make a statement on the current review of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 with regard to the advice offered by the Joint Nature Conservation Council on Schedule 4 to the Act on the list of birds given protection by the registration scheme.

Ben Bradshaw: In 2002 Defra carried out a full public consultation on the bird registration scheme with the key results that the scheme be retained with some minor changes to the administration process and that a study be commissioned by the Joint Nature Conservation Committee (JNCC), firstly to agree scientific criteria for including species on Schedule 4 and then to apply those criteria to candidate species.
	The study has now been completed and the recommendations in their report are likely to form the basis for a full public consultation where interested parties will be invited to comment on the proposals and to submit further evidence for consideration.

Timber

Sue Doughty: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will take steps to include social criteria in the UK's timber procurement policy.

Elliot Morley: A key objective of the UK Government's timber procurement policy is to encourage the protection of forest dependent peoples' rights and enhance their well-being. By requiring its contractors to supply only timber that has been legally harvested and by preferring timber grown in sustainably managed forests, the Government are helping to achieve this outcome in many producing countries.
	The EU public procurement directives ensure that public bodies conduct their procurement in a fair and transparent manner, do not discriminate or create barriers to trade and obtain value for money for taxpayers. In line with the above requirements, the criteria for selecting bidders must be limited to their capacity and ability to supply the product or service, and the criteria for specifying requirements must be limited to relevant technical, quality and performance characteristics that can be objectively measured and priced. The criteria can include relevant manufacturing processes and that enables forest management standards that affect the product to be specified. Protecting and conserving a product's raw material is relevant, measurable and a reasonable demand to make of a contractor. Protecting and conserving the rights and socio-economic well-being of forest dependent people is not something a contractor based in another country could be reasonably expected to undertake. Such social and ethical issues are beyond the capacity of suppliers to control, measure and price. Furthermore, the introduction of non product related issues into contracts would enable contracting authorities to choose their suppliers on the basis of subjective judgements that would jeopardize the fairness and openness that have served the public procurement process so well for many decades.
	A public authority can refuse to invite tenders from suppliers who have been convicted of an offence or grave professional misconduct in relation to the conduct of their business and that could include offences relating to the treatment of forest dependent people. Any such refusal would have to be proportionate to the offence.

UN Environment Programme

Edward Garnier: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the annual grant from her Department to the United Nations Environment programme World Conservation Monitoring Centre was in each financial year from 2000; and how much the grant from each other donor nation was in each year.

Elliot Morley: The Department, on behalf of the UK Government has contributed £4.2 million per annum to the main United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) Environment Fund since 2000. UNEP World Conservation Monitoring Centre (UNEP-WCMC) receives direct income from UNEP, as well as project funding.
	The Department does not provide an annual grant to UNEP-WCMC. However DETR made a contribution to the Centre when it was incorporated into UNEP. This payment of £750,000 was to pay off the mortgage on the premises to give UNEP-WCMC a secure financial basis for their new beginning.
	Defra, and other Government Departments, make use of the Centre's expertise and services to deliver specific products and services. Defra/DETR funding for projects in the years since 2000 is as follows:
	
		
			  £ 
		
		
			 2000 500.00 
			 2001 1,000,228.77 
			 2002 109,096.00 
			 2003 340,543.84 
			 2004 180,183.00 
		
	
	UNEP-WCMC has also undertaken work for DFID and FCO.
	We do not have information on other states contributions to UNEP-WCMC.

UN Environment Programme

Edward Garnier: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs when she last held discussions with the management of the United Nations Environment Programme World Conservation Monitoring Centre on (a) staff levels at its establishment in Cambridge and (b) the level of her Department's financial support to it; and what the outcomes of those discussions were.

Elliot Morley: I met Dr. Klaus Toepfer, the Executive Director of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), at the Eighth Session of UNEP's Governing Council in Nairobi (held 21–25 February 2005) and discussed the UNEP-World Conservation Monitoring Centre (UNEP-WCMC) among other issues. Dr. Toepfer and I expressed our commitment to securing the short and long term future of the Centre.
	In addition, my officials are in regular discussions with UNEP, WCMC Trustees and staff of the Centre to explore ways to secure the Centre's short and long term future.
	These discussions have embraced a range of issues relating to the Centre's organisation including its financing. Staff levels are a matter for the management of the Centre and UNEP.

Waste Incineration

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what (a) local, (b) regional and (c) national targets have been set on levels of incineration of waste.

Elliot Morley: Government have set no specific targets for levels of waste incineration.

Waste Incineration

Andrew Murrison: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs on what dates since June 2001 Ministers have met (a) the Environment Agency and (b) the cement industry to discuss the burning of waste in cement kilns.

Elliot Morley: Ministers have met the Environment Agency (EA) on two occasions since June 2001 to discuss the burning of waste in cement kilns.
	On 15 July 2004 I met the Environment Agency for that purpose together with representatives of the waste treatment company Cleanaway.
	On 9 September 2004 I again met the Environment Agency for that purpose together with representatives of the British Cement Association.

Waste Management Regulations

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs 
	(1)  when the Waste Management Licensing (England and Wales) Regulations 2005 will come into force;
	(2)  what account is being taken of differences in size and resources of different composting operations when defining the tonnage brackets under the Waste Management Licensing (England and Wales) Regulations 2005;
	(3)  what steps she will take to ensure that charges for composting sites proposed under the Waste Management Licensing (England and Wales) Regulations 2005 do not place a disproportionately high financial burden on small scale organisations composting less than 150 tonnes of organic waste per annum.

Elliot Morley: The Government have taken account of comments made during the consultation process by representatives of smaller community composting schemes and is considering amending the original proposal.
	Details of the scheme will be available when the regulations are published. This is expected to be in late spring/early summer 2005.

Flood Defence (York)

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will make a statement on flood defence in the City of York.

Elliot Morley: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave her on 24 January 2005, Official Report, column 10W, which I hope will answer this question also. The Environment Agency's plans for the City of York remain unaltered.

Zoos

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what plans she has to review the licensing of zoos.

Elliot Morley: The terms of reference of the Zoos Forum, the Government's independent advisers on zoo matters, include keeping the operation and implementation of the zoo licensing system continually under review and advising Government as necessary.

EDUCATION AND SKILLS

Commonwealth Working Holiday Scheme

Phil Willis: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many (a) teachers, (b) teaching assistants and (c) other school staff from Commonwealth countries are working in the UK under the Commonwealth working holiday scheme on two year visas; and if she will make a statement on the effect on recruitment in the education system of changing the scheme to one year visas.

Des Browne: I have been asked to reply.
	Working holidaymakers are required to obtain entry clearance prior to coming to the United Kingdom. This allows them to take relevant employment, including as teachers, teaching assistants and as other school staff. No central record is kept by the Home Office of the numbers of working holidaymakers in each part of the work force, including teaching and other jobs in educational establishments, because they do not need separate permission to work after arrival.
	After 12 months in the United Kingdom working holidaymakers are eligible for work permit employment in any of the occupations on the list of designated shortage occupations maintained by Work Permits (UK). These include all teaching posts that relate to the provision of compulsory schooling. Working holidaymakers were eligible to switch into these occupations after 12 months in the United Kingdom before the changes announced on 7 February. The effect of these changes on recruitment into teaching roles in the education system is therefore neutral. Non-teaching roles in schools are not generally shortage occupations and so will not feature, but it is unlikely that there will be difficulty in filling such posts.

Curriculum

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills whether any changes have been made to (a) the primary school curriculum and (b) the secondary school curriculum in the past year.

Derek Twigg: We introduced new flexibilities to Key Stage 4 of the secondary curriculum in September 2004 to enable schools to offer programmes that better meet young people's individual needs and strengths. Pupils are no longer required to learn modern foreign languages and design and technology. Instead schools are required to provide access to a minimum of one course in each of the following areas: the arts; design and technology; the humanities; and foreign languages. Students within Key Stage 4 are able to follow a course of study in a subject within each of these entitlement areas if they wish to do so. We also introduced a new statutory requirement for work-related learning at Key Stage 4.
	There have been no other statutory changes to the primary and secondary curriculum in the last year.

Education (Hartlepool)

Iain Wright: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how much funding per pupil was allocated for (a) primary and (b) secondary school education in Hartlepool in each year since 1997.

Stephen Twigg: The information requested is contained within the following table:
	
		Average funding per pupil, Hartlepool
		
			 £ 
			  Primary (3 to 10-year-olds) Secondary (11 to 15-year-olds) 
		
		
			 1997–98 2,230 3,220 
			 1998–99 2,350 3,280 
			 1999–2000 2,510 3,380 
			 2000–01 2,720 3,740 
			 2001–02 2,890 3,980 
			 2002–03 3,020 4,010 
			 2003–04 3,330 4,210 
			 2004–05 3,450 4,380 
		
	
	Notes:
	1. Total funding includes funding via education formula spending/standard spending assessment and revenue grants allocated at an LEA level. It excludes the pensions transfer to EPS and the Learning and Skills Council, and is in real terms.
	2. Real terms at 2003–04 prices, based on GDP deflators as at 30 September 2004.
	3. Figures reflect relevant sub-blocks of education SSA/EFS settlements and exclude the pensions transfer to EFS and LSC.
	4. Total funding also includes all revenue grants in DfES departmental expenditure limits relevant to pupils aged 3–10 and 11–15 and exclude EMAs and grants not allocated at LEA level.
	5. The pupil numbers used to convert £ million figures to per pupil are those underlying the SSA/EFS settlement calculations plus PLASC 3-year-old maintained pupils and estimated 3 to 4-year-olds funded through state support in maintained and other educational institutions where these are not included in the SSA pupil numbers.
	6. Figures are as reported by the LEA and rounded to the nearest £10.
	7. 2003–04 and 2004–05 figures are provisional as some grants have not yet been finalised/audited.
	8. 1997–98 figures for LEAs subject to local government reorganisation in that year have been estimated, pro-rate to their post LGR figures.

New Approaches to Contact

Eric Forth: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills 
	(1)  when the Department's Design Team planning the Family Resolutions Pilot Project met the New Approaches to Contact organisation;
	(2)  when the Minister of State for Children, Young People and Families met the Director of New Approaches to Contact as referred to in the letter from the Minister to the right hon. Member for Bromley and Chislehurst of 24 January (ref 2004/0065500POMH).

Margaret Hodge: Neither I, nor the Design Group, nor the Steering Group, for the Family Resolutions Pilot Project have met New Approaches to Contact (NATC).
	Individual members of the Design Group for the Family Resolutions Pilot Project and my noble Friend the Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Children and Families have met the Director of New Approaches to Contact, to discuss his early interventions proposals.
	My reply of 24 January 2005 to correspondence of 29 November 2004 from the hon. Member (ref 2004/0065500POMH) contained an error in stating that I had met the Director of NATC to discuss the Early Interventions project. My noble Friend the Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Children and Families met the Director of New Approaches to Contact .

Local Intervention and Development Fund

Phil Willis: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills under which line in the Budget 2004 Annual Report the Local Intervention and Development Fund appears; and what the projected budget for the fund is for each year from 2005–06 to 2009–10.

Ivan Lewis: The Local Intervention and Development (LID) Fund is administered by the Learning and Skills Council (LSC) and appears within the LSC figures in Chapter 2 and Annex B to the 2004 Annual Report. For 2005–06, 2006–07 and 2007–08 a budget for the LID fund of £195 million in each year was set out in the LSC Grant Letter published on 15 November 2004. Figures from 2008–09 onwards have not yet been set.

Music

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what the Department's policy is regarding the position of music education in the school curriculum.

Stephen Twigg: The Department's commitment to music education is set out in the Music Manifesto and the national curriculum.
	We recognise the importance of music in schools both as a subject in its own right and as a means of driving up standards across the curriculum. Music is a statutory entitlement for all pupils up to the age of 14, and can be taken as an option at Key Stage 4.

Primary Teachers

Charles Hendry: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many graduates have entered teaching at primary education level in each year since 1997; and if she will make a statement.

Stephen Twigg: The following table shows the number of graduates with qualified teacher status entering service for the first time in maintained nursery and primary schools from 1996–97 to 2002–03, the latest year available.
	
		
			  Full and part-time entrants 
		
		
			 2003(3) 13,410 
			 2002(3) 14,250 
			 2001 13,590 
			 2000 13,640 
			 1999 12,670 
			 1998 13,480 
			 1997 12,670 
		
	
	(3) Provisional data: The numbers shown in service may change as a result of late receipt of annual service returns.
	Source:
	Database of Teachers' Records.
	Figures include teachers who have qualified in the previous calendar year and those who have no known service in the English maintained sector and qualified before the previous calendar year. It is possible that a very small number of this latter group are not graduates.
	10–20 per cent. of part-time teachers may not be included in the data.

School Funding Arrangements

David Kidney: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills whether she plans to extend the consultation period for her consultation on new school funding arrangements if a General Election intervenes before the closing date of 13 May.

Stephen Twigg: Guidance on the conduct of Government business, including the handling of consultation exercises, will be published by the Cabinet Office on the announcement of a General Election.

School Violence

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what her Department's policy is on dealing with violence taking place in primary and secondary schools.

Derek Twigg: Although violence in schools is rare the Government takes the issue very seriously. We have made it clear that head teachers may permanently exclude pupils for violence even when this is a first offence. But it is even more important to help schools create an environment that reduces the risk of violence to an absolute minimum. To achieve that we have:
	given every secondary school access to high-quality behaviour management training materials and expert advice from behaviour management consultants;
	funded extra support for schools facing the greatest challenges through our Behaviour Improvement Programme;
	provided £120 million for school security improvements since 1997; and
	based over 300 police officers in schools.
	In addition we are:
	giving every primary school access to high-quality behaviour management training materials and curriculum materials for developing pupils' social, emotional and behavioural skills;
	developing staff training and curriculum materials to help secondary schools develop the social, emotional and behavioural skills of their pupils;
	developing specific violence prevention materials through our Violence Reduction in Schools project; and
	consulting on new proposals on keeping knives out of schools, including searching suspect pupils.

Sexual Abuse

Claire Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what estimate she has made of the number of individuals under the age of 18 years who had been sexually abused who received support and counselling in each of the last five years.

Margaret Hodge: The requested information is not collected centrally.

Targets

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what recent assessment she has made of progress towards the Public Service Agreement target to increase the percentage of school children who spend a minimum of two hours each week on high quality PE and school sport from 25 per cent. in 2002 to 75 per cent. in 2006.

Derek Twigg: Progress in delivering the Public Service Agreement target—which the Department for Education and Skills shares with the Department for Culture, Media and Sport—is monitored annually via the national PE, School Sport and Club Links survey. This is the largest and most comprehensive survey of school sport in England.
	Good progress is being made. The 2003/04 survey, in which over 6,500 schools took part, showed that 62 per cent. of children were spending two hours in a typical week on high quality PE and school sport within and beyond the curriculum. The survey results were published on 29 April 2004 and a copy of the report The Impact of School Sport Partnerships: The Results of the 2003/04 PE, School Sports and Club Links Survey" has been placed in the House of Commons Library.
	Schools will take part in the 2004/05 survey between May and July this year and the results will be published later in the year.

Targets

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills 
	(1)  what recent assessment she has made of whether the Public Service Agreement target to reduce school absence by 8 per cent. compared to 2003 will be met by 2008;
	(2)  whether the Public Service Agreement target for 2004 to reduce school truancies by 10 per cent. compared to 2002 was met.

Derek Twigg: Schools appear well on course to meet the Public Service Agreement target to reduce school absence by 8 per cent. compared to 2003 by 2008. Absence data for state schools covering the autumn term 2004 was placed in the Libraries of both Houses on 24 February 2005. The data indicate that the level of absence from state schools has fallen to 6.17 per cent.—a decrease of 11 per cent. from 2002/03 and equivalent to over 50,000 more pupils in school each day.
	The Public Service Agreement target to reduce the 2002 level of unauthorised absence by 10 per cent. by 2004 was not met as the level remained unchanged at 0.72 per cent. Unauthorised absence has remained near to 0.7 per cent. since national records for school attendance began in 1993/94.

Targets

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what recent assessment she has made of whether the Public Service Agreement target to improve the basic skills levels of 2.25 million adults by 2010 will be met.

Ivan Lewis: The Government reported in December 2004 that it had been successful in meeting its Public Service Agreement (PSA) target to improve the literacy, language and numeracy skills of 750,000 adults by 2004. The most recent estimates show 827,000 adults have attained at least one qualification in literacy, numeracy or language since the launch of Skills for Life" in 2001. Due to continued commitment and development of the Skills for Life Strategy we remain confident that we are on track to meet the challenging 2010 target of improving the literacy, language and numeracy skills of 2.25 million adults.

Targets

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills whether the Public Service Agreement target for at least 28 per cent. of young people to start a modern apprenticeship by age 22 by 2004 was met.

Ivan Lewis: This is a 2004/05 academic year PSA target against which we are due to measure progress in July 2005. In the last full academic year 2003–04 the proportion of young people starting an apprenticeship had risen to 24.8 per cent.

Targets

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills whether, in accordance with the Public Service Agreement's targets for minimum performance and value for money have been set for further education colleges; and whether these targets have been met.

Ivan Lewis: The Public Service Agreement committed Government to set minimum performance and value for money targets for further education colleges. The Learning and Skills Council (LSC) set the minimum performance targets in May 2003. Each college has been set a minimum standard for learner achievement. Success rates are continuing to improve in colleges and we expect every college to meet or exceed the minimum standard by 2006. On latest data, the percentage of Further Education and Sixth Form Colleges below this standard (for both short and long qualifications) has fallen from 30 per cent. in 2000–01 to 15 per cent. in 2002–03.
	Value for money targets for colleges have not yet been set. The Department and LSC will develop and trial new value for money indicators during 2005/06 and implement new measures from 2006/07.

Targets

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills whether the Public Service Agreement target to improve the basic skills levels of 750,000 adults as a result of the launch of the Skills for Life initiative was met in 2004.

Ivan Lewis: I reported in the House of Commons on 9 September 2004 that the Government had met its Public Service Agreement (PSA) target to improve the literacy, language and numeracy skills of 750,000 adults by 2004. I refer the hon. Gentleman to 9 September 2004, Official Report, column 851.
	This announcement was confirmed on the 6 December 2004, with the release of a press notice in England.
	Since the launch of the Skills for Life Strategy in 2001, 2.4 million adults across England have taken up 4.8 million courses in literacy, language and numeracy skills. Over 750,000 of these learners have gone on to achieve nationally recognised qualifications.

Targets

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what recent assessment she has made of whether the Public Service Agreement target to improve the basic skills levels of 1.5 million adults will be met by 2007.

Ivan Lewis: The Government reported in December 2004 that they had been successful in meeting their Public Service Agreement (PSA) target to improve the literacy, language and numeracy skills of 750,000 adults by 2004. The most recent estimates show 827,000 adults have attained at least one qualification in literacy, numeracy or language since the launch of Skills for Life" in 2001. Due to continued commitment and development of the Skills for Life strategy we remain confident that we are on track to meet the challenging 2007 target of improving the literacy, language and numeracy skills of 1.5 million adults.

Targets

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills 
	(1)  what recent assessment she has made of whether the Public Service Agreement target to reduce by at least 40 per cent. the number of adults in the workforce who lack NVQ 2 or equivalent qualifications by 2010 will be met;
	(2)  what recent assessment she has made of whether the Public Service Agreement target for one million adults in the workforce to achieve Level 2 by 2006 will be met.

Ivan Lewis: We welcome the continuing increase in the number of adults who have at least NVQ level 2, as published in the Labour Force Survey Statistical First Release on 24 February.
	We are taking action to increase the numbers of adults getting level 2 qualifications and the forthcoming Skills White Paper will set out clear proposals for raising the numbers of adults getting qualifications at level 2 and above.
	If we maintain the progress made over recent years, we are on course to achieve the target of one million adults getting a level 2 by 2006; and through a combination of public and private investment, to make progress towards the 2010 target.

Teachers

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how long teachers stayed in the profession in England according to the most recently produced statistics; and what percentage of teachers retired from the profession in the last year for which figures are available.

Stephen Twigg: Of those teachers entering service in 1993, 63 per cent. were in service in the maintained sector 10 years later (at March 2003). Of those entering in 1998, 77 per cent. were in service five years later. Some teachers may have not have been in service continually.
	In 2002–03, 9,260 full or part-time teachers retired from regular service in the maintained sector, 2.0 per cent. of the number in service in March 2002.

TREASURY

Citizens Advice Bureaux

Michael Fallon: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether citizens advice bureaux will be eligible for assistance from the new Financial Inclusion Fund towards their money advice services.

Stephen Timms: Yes. Further details on the breakdown of the fund, including eligibility criteria will be announced in due course.

Correspondence

Frank Field: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he expects to reply to the letter of the right hon. Member for Birkenhead of 4 February regarding the tax credits of his constituent Mr. Williams.

Dawn Primarolo: I understand that the Inland Revenue has replied to the right hon. Member.
	They aim to reply to 80 per cent. of correspondence within 15 working days and 95 per cent. within 40 working days.

Correspondence

Frank Field: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he expects to reply to the letter of the right hon. Member for Birkenhead of 9 February regarding the tax credits of his constituent Mrs. Smith.

Dawn Primarolo: The Inland Revenue have told me that they will be replying to the right hon. Member very shortly.
	They aim to reply to 80 per cent. of correspondence within 15 working days, and 95 per cent, within 40 working days.

Employment (Hartlepool)

Iain Wright: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer 
	(1)  what proportion of the workforce in Hartlepool was employed in (a) the public sector, (b) the manufacturing industry, (c) the service sector and (d) farming and agriculture in (i) 1997 and (ii) the last year for which figures are available;
	(2)  how many people were in employment in Hartlepool in each year since 1992.

Stephen Timms: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician. I have asked him to reply.
	Letter from Len Cook to Mr. Iain Wright, dated 2 March 2005
	As National Statistician, I have been asked to reply to your Parliamentary Questions about the number of people employed in Hartlepool and the proportion of the workforce employed in selected industries in Hartlepool (218503, 218806).
	The attached tables show the available information requested.
	Table 1 shows estimates of the number of employed people resident in Hartlepool and are taken from the Labour Force Survey. Estimates are for 12 month periods ending in February from 1995, the first year in which these statistics are available for Parliamentary Constituencies, to 2004.
	Table 2 shows estimates of employees working in the public sector resident in Hartlepool as a proportion of all in employment, for 12 month periods ending February in 1999, 2002 and 2004. Equivalent figures for 1997 are not available for Parliamentary Constituencies.
	Tables 3 shows estimates of the proportion of total employees jobs in Hartlepool which are in the manufacturing industry, the service sector and in agriculture and fishing industries. These figures are taken from the Annual Business Inquiry. Estimates are provided for 1997 and 2002, the latest available year for Parliamentary Constituencies.
	
		Table 1: Number of employed people resident in Hartlepool parliamentary constituency
		
			 12 months ending February Number 
		
		
			 1995 28,000 
			 1996 34,000 
			 1997 37,000 
			 1998 35,000 
			 1999 34,000 
			 2000 32,000 
			 2001 35,000 
			 2002 36,000 
			 2003 34,000 
			 2004 35,000 
		
	
	Note:
	LFS estimates are subject to sampling variability. Changes from year to year in particular should be treated with caution.
	Source:
	Labour Force Survey
	
		Table 2: Employees in the public sector resident in Hartlepool as a proportion of all in employment
		
			 12 month period ending February Percentage 
		
		
			 1999(4) 24.5 
			 2002 23.7 
			 2004 25.5 
		
	
	(4) LFS estimates are not available for 1997.
	Note:
	LFS estimates are subject to sampling variability. Changes from year to year in particular should be treated with caution.
	Source:
	Labour Force Survey
	
		Table 3: Employee jobs(5) in Hartlepool in selected industries as percentages of all employment
		
			 Percentage 
			  Manufacturing Total services Agriculture and fishing2, 3 
		
		
			 1997 23.3 63.3 0.1 
			 2002 18.2 73.7 * 
		
	
	(5) Excludes self-employed jobs.
	(6) These figures are aggregates from which agriculture class 0100 (1992 SIC) have been excluded.
	(7) Estimates for agriculture and fishing for 2002 are not given to conform with the 1947 Statistics of Trade Act, preventing release of data that may disclose companies.
	Source:
	2002; Annual Business Inquiry, 1997; Annual Employment Survey (re-scaled).

Energy Products Directive

Simon Thomas: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will commission research on the earning levels of owners of private leisure craft who have benefited from rebated diesel under the Energy Products Directive.

John Healey: This information is not available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

EU Committees

Angus Robertson: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer 
	(1)  how many times during the (a) Italian and (b) Irish presidency of the EU the Customs Co-operation Committee-EEC Cyprus met; when and where these meetings took place; what UK Government expert was present; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  how many times during the (a) Italian and (b) Irish presidency of the EU the Customs Co-operation Committee-EEC Malta met; when and where these meetings took place; what UK Government expert was present; and if he will make a statement.

Dawn Primarolo: This committee is the responsibility of the European Commission. No UK Government expert was present.

Health Expenditure

Iain Wright: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the per capita spending on health in each year since 1997 was in (a) England, (b) the North East and (c) Hartlepool.

Paul Boateng: Expenditure based on individual constituencies is not available. The closest match for Hartlepool is Tees health authority area, and its successor County Durham and Tees Valley strategic health authority. Public expenditure per capita on health in these areas, in the North East and in England is shown in the following table.
	
		£
		
			  England North East Tees health authority County Durham and Tees valley strategic health authority 
		
		
			 1997–98 710 586 556 n/a 
			 1998–99 750 635 623 n/a 
			 1999–00 820 749 771 n/a 
			 2000–01 890 796 824 n/a 
			 2001–02 990 879 858 n/a 
			 2002–03 1,120 995 n/a 991 
			 2003–04 1,280 1,081 n/a 1,075 
		
	
	Notes:
	1. Public spending on health per capita in England will always appear higher because many areas of health expenditure are funded centrally and are not factored into local health authority spending. These include medical research, the funding of Special Health Authorities, NDPBs and some central budgets.
	2. Expenditure per capita for health authorities and the North East is taken from audited health authority summarisation forms and primary care trust summarisation schedules that are prepared on a resource basis and therefore differ from cash allocations in the year. Weighted capitation figures are used to determine expenditure per capita—these are population figures that are weighted to reflect differing needs. Figures are given in cash terms.
	3. Figures for 1997–98 to 2001–02 have been prepared using gross expenditure figures. Figures for 2002–03 and 2003–04 have been adjusted to eliminate expenditure that would be double counted where an authority acts as a lead in commissioning healthcare or other services.

Iraq

Harry Cohen: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will match the United States' commitment to top up the Paris Club deal in respect of Iraq's debt by a bilateral agreement taking the debt write-off to 100 per cent.; and if he will make a statement.

Stephen Timms: The UK has been at the forefront of efforts to help rehabilitate Iraq's economy. The UK fully supported a generous debt treatment for Iraq at the Paris club meeting of 21 November at which it was agreed to write off 80 per cent. of Iraq's debt in order to provide a robust exit from debt unsustainability. Under the Paris Club deal, no payments are due from Iraq to Paris Club creditors until 2008. In addition to supporting the IMF and World Bank in providing assistance, the UK has pledged £544 million in direct aid over three years to March 2006, of which over £331 million has been committed. These funds are bringing immediate benefits to the Iraqi people. We continue to keep options to support Iraq's economy under review.

Law and Order Expenditure

Iain Wright: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the per capita spending on law and order was in each year since 1997 in (a) England and Wales, (b) the North East and (c) Hartlepool.

Stephen Timms: The information is as follows:
	Spending in England and Wales
	To enable proper comparison to other regions, the following data shows total per capita spending on Public Order and Safety that can be identified as spending for a region within England and Wales. This is different from total per capita-spending as it excludes expenditure that cannot be identified as spending for a region.
	
		£
		
			  England Wales 
		
		
			 1998–99 246 240 
			 1999–2000 245 237 
			 2000–01 265 260 
			 2001–02 300 295 
			 2002–03 323 320 
		
	
	Source:
	Public Expenditure Statistical Analysis 2004, ONS Population Data
	Spending in the North East
	Per capita spending on Public Order and Safety in the North East is outlined as follows. This shows only expenditure that can be identified as spending for the North East.
	
		
			  £ 
		
		
			 1998–99 279 
			 1999–2000 301 
			 2000–01 319 
			 2000–02 345 
			 2002–03 387 
		
	
	Source:
	Public Expenditure Statistical Analysis 2004
	Figures are not provided for 1997–98 as there are not comparable sources of data across all of these fields for this year.
	Data is collected on the basis of Public Order and Safety" as HMT functional analyses are based on the UN standard classification of the functions of Government. Public Order and Safety includes police, fire, administration of justice, prison and offender programmes and immigration and citizenship.
	Regional data for 2003–04 will be announced in PESA 2005 later this year.
	Data is not held for spending in Hartlepool.
	Further information can be found in PESA 2004 (Table 8.10) and a full definition of identifiable and non-identifiable spending can be found in paragraph 8.15 of PESA 2004.

MRSA

Chris Grayling: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many recorded deaths from MRSA there have been in the East Elmbridge and Mid Surrey area in each of the past five years.

Stephen Timms: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician. I have asked him to reply.
	Letter from Len Cook to Mr. Chris Grayling, dated 2 March 2005
	As National Statistician, I have been asked to reply to your recent question asking how many recorded deaths from MRSA there have been in the East Elmbridge and Mid Surrey area in each of the past five years. (219408)
	The latest year for which figures are available is 2003. Numbers of deaths where MRSA was a contributory factor are given in the table below.
	
		Number of deaths where MRSA was a contributory factor,(8) East Elmbridge and Mid Surrey Primary Care Trust, 1999–2003(9)
		
			  Number of deaths where MRSA was a contributory factor 
		
		
			 1999 (10)— 
			 2000 (10)— 
			 2001 5 
			 2002 (10)— 
			 2003 (10)— 
		
	
	(8) Identified using the methodology described in Griffiths C, Lamagni TL, Crowcroft NS, Duckworth G and Rooney C (2004) Trends in MRSA in England and Wales: analysis of morbidity and mortality data for 1993–2002. Health Statistics Quarterly" 21, 15–22.
	(9) Figures are for deaths occurring in the years 1999 to 2003.
	(10) Fewer than 5 deaths
	Source:
	Office for National Statistics

Pensions

Annabelle Ewing: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will defer the proposed reforms to the public sector pension scheme pending further consultation.

Stephen Timms: Each public service pension scheme is the subject of a separate review led by the responsible Department. Schemes have been consulting on proposals for reform. In some cases consultation is over, in other cases consultation is still in progress. To allow consideration of all the relevant issues, including the appropriate timetables for implementing reforms, it is right for the reviews to continue, accepting representations from all those affected, as at present.

Population Census

David Amess: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer what representations he has received about the conclusions of the last Census on the population of towns.

Stephen Timms: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician. I have asked him to reply.
	Letter from Len Cook to Mr. David Amess, dated 2 March 2005
	As National Statistician, I have been asked to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question concerning what representations have been received about the conclusions of the last Census on the population of towns. 219429
	Between September 2002, when the 2001 Census results were published and February 2005, The Office for National Statistics has received letters of concern regarding the published population figures from the 2001 Census from 44 Local Authorities.
	In addition to the representation made by Southend-on-Sea, we are aware of six others having been made.

Public Sector Accounts

Damian Green: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list the changes made to the definitions of capital spending in the Public Sector Accounts since May 1997.

Paul Boateng: The Public Sector Accounts are drawn up by the ONS. They are based on the definitions in the European System of Accounts (ESA 95), which are determined by Eurostat. Interpretation of these standards is a matter for the ONS.

School Buildings

Damian Green: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what changes he has made to the scope and definitions of the repair of school buildings in the Public Sector Accounts since May 1997; and if he will make a statement.

Paul Boateng: The Public Sector Accounts are drawn up by the Independent ONS. They are based on the definitions in the European System of Accounts (ESA 95), which are determined by Eurostat. Interpretation of these standards is a matter for the ONS.

Tax Credits

John Thurso: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many recipients of (a) working and (b) child tax credit award notices issued in 2003–04 who queried the accuracy of the Revenue's calculations and received no response within the 30-day period are being asked to make repayment; and if he will make a statement.

Dawn Primarolo: The Inland Revenue (IR) do not hold the information in the format requested.
	The IR's Code of Practice 26 ("What happens if we have paid you too much tax credit?") sets out their approach to handling overpayments of tax credits.

Tax Credits

Greg Pope: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of the total value of over-payments of working tax credits in the last year for which figures are available.

Dawn Primarolo: For working tax credit and child tax credit, I refer my hon. Member to my reply to the hon. Members for Northavon (Mr. Webb) and Yeovil (Mr. Laws) on 15 November 2004, Official Report, columns 946–48W.
	For the previous system of working families' and disabled person's tax credits, I refer the hon. Member to my answer to the hon. Member for Eddisbury (Mr. O'Brien) on 12 November 2003, Official Report, column 394W.

Tax Credits

Parmjit Dhanda: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make it his policy for child care provided by grandparents to be considered eligible for the working tax credit child care element.

Dawn Primarolo: The child care element of working tax credit is only available for the costs of formal child care and is in line with the Government's commitment to promote good quality and safe provision.
	Relatives can provide a high standard of child care in a safe environment but the Government do not wish to impose requirements of registration on family members.
	If grandparents are registered childminders, then the cost of their services will count as eligible child care for the purposes of claiming the child care element of the working tax credit. However, if the child care is being provided from the child's home, then it will not be treated as eligible child care.

Tax Credits

David Drew: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how long it took on average for an adjudication decision on a tax credit to be made in the last year for which figures are available.

Dawn Primarolo: The Inland Revenue's aim is to decide 55 per cent. of all new tax credits claims, renewals and changes of circumstances within five working days of receipt, and 95 per cent. within 30 working days. They published their performance for 2003–04 against these targets in their Annual Report for the year ending 31 March 2004 and this is available at www.inlandrevenue.gov.uk. They are on course to meet the targets for 2004–05.

Tax Credits

David Drew: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many people in the Stroud constituency have current cases in the adjudication process for tax credit overpayments.

Dawn Primarolo: This information is not available.

VAT (Further Education Colleges)

Dominic Grieve: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will reduce the level at which further education colleges pay VAT to the same level as that applicable to the school sector.

Dawn Primarolo: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 1 February 2005, Official Report, column 762W to the hon. Member for Aylesbury (Mr.Lidington).

TRANSPORT

Cancer

Ian Gibson: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what policies his Department has in place for supporting employees with cancer.

Charlotte Atkins: The Department and its agencies have access to Occupational Health Advisers and Counselling and Support Services/Employee Assistance Programmes, which would be used to provide specialist support and advice to employees suffering with cancer.
	Our attendance management policies and medical referral protocols are sympathetic to individuals suffering from cancer.

Driving Instruction

Peter Pike: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what research his Department collected to inform the decision that compulsory motorway tuition is unnecessary; and if he will make a statement.

David Jamieson: The Department collects statistics and carries out research to help inform road safety policy. In 2003, there were 14,839 car drivers involved in injury road accidents on Britain's motorways. Of these car drivers, 258 were aged 17–18 and 309 were aged 19. However, casualty statistics do not take account of the amount of driving done on motorways by different categories of drivers.
	Research for the Department published in 2002 indicates that although young novice drivers are more at risk than other drivers in all or most situations, motorways do not present them with a disproportionately higher risk than other road types.
	The research report, TRL 527, is available in the Libraries of the House and on-line at www.trl.co.uk/static/dtlr/pdfs/TRL527.pdf. Paragraphs 7.3.4 and 7.3.5 and figures 17 and 18 on page 19 refer.

Driving Licence (Medical Checks)

Paul Beresford: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether he plans to introduce compulsory medical checks when driving licence holders reach the age of 70; and if he will make a statement.

David Jamieson: At present there is no clear evidence to suggest that mandatory medical examinations for drivers at the age of 70 would result in a marked improvement to road safety sufficient to justify the potential inconvenience and expense for the majority of drivers, who remain fit to drive.

London Commuters

John Thurso: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what the (a) passengers in excess of capacity and (b) total number of passengers figure was (i) for each London commuting service train operator and (ii) in total, broken down into (A) am peak and (B) pm peak figures measured in the annual survey in 2004; and what the number was of peak passengers into London for (1) am peak periods, (2) pm peak periods and (3) in total for each London commuting service train operator.

Tony McNulty: The results of the autumn 2004 counts are not yet available. The results of the autumn 2003 counts are shown in the following table. The Passengers In Excess of Capacity" (PIXC) mechanism monitors services into London in the morning peak and out of London in the evening peak.
	
		
			  Am peak PM peak 
			 Operator Load PIXC (percentage) Load PIXC (percentage) PIXC total (am and pm) (percentage) 
		
		
			 Chiltern 9,191 3.3 8,157 0.8 2.1 
			 South Central 69,127 4.7 52,083 1.1 3.1 
			 Connex South Eastern 118,162 3.1 92,048 0.5 2.0 
			 Great Eastern 49,739 2.1 46,358 2.1 2.1 
			 c2c 26,643 1.3 23,619 0.6 1.0 
			 Silverlink 19,824 6.0 17,395 2.1 4.2 
			 South West Trains 81,670 7.4 70,373 2.8 5.2 
			 Thames 11,054 2.0 8,977 0.9 1.5 
			 Thameslink 27,131 2.3 23,218 2.7 2.5 
			 WAGN 47,367 1.5 43,003 1.3 1.4 
			 Total 459,908 3.8 385,231 1.5 2.7

Taxis

Clive Betts: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what estimate he has made of the number of taxis per head of population in each metropolitan authority.

Charlotte Atkins: The estimates are given in the following table.
	
		
			 Met. district Taxis per 1,000 head of population 
		
		
			 Gateshead 0.9 
			 Newcastle on Tyne 3.1 
			 North Tyneside 0.7 
			 South Tyneside 1.5 
			 Sunderland 1.1 
			 Knowsley 1.6 
			 Liverpool 3.2 
			 St. Helens 0.4 
			 Sefton 1.0 
			 Wirral 0.6 
			 Bolton 0.4 
			 Bury 0.5 
			 Manchester 1.9 
			 Oldham 0.4 
			 Rochdale 0.5 
			 Salford 0.4 
			 Stockport 0.4 
			 Tameside 0.7 
			 Trafford 0.5 
			 Wigan 0.4 
			 Bradford 0.5 
			 Calderdale 0.3 
			 Kirklees 0.6 
			 Leeds 0.6 
			 Wakefield 0.3 
			 Barnsley 0.3 
			 Doncaster 0.4 
			 Rotherham 0.2 
			 Sheffield 1.1 
			 Birmingham 1.1 
			 Coventry 1.7 
			 Dudley 0.5 
			 Sandwell 0.1 
			 Solihull 0.2 
			 Walsall 0.2 
			 Wolverhampton 0.4

Taxis

Clive Betts: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport which metropolitan councils have placed limits on the numbers of licensed taxis; what the limits are in each case; and which metropolitan councils have placed no limits on the number of taxis.

Charlotte Atkins: Our latest statistics, as at 31 March 2004, show that 26 metropolitan authorities place a limit on the number of taxis they license. Those authorities, together with their respective limits, are listed as follows:
	
		
			 Authority Number 
		
		
			 Newcastle on Tyne 2,000 
			 South Tyneside 224 
			 Sunderland 306 
			 Knowsley 240 
			 Liverpool 1,417 
			 Sefton 271 
			 St Helens 63 
			 Bolton 104 
			 Manchester 833 
			 Oldham 85 
			 Rochdale 103 
			 Salford 78 
			 Stockport 114 
			 Tameside 143 
			 Trafford 103 
			 Wigan 136 
			 Bradford 224 
			 Calderdale (11)65 
			 Kirklees 217 
			 Leeds 402 
			 Wakefield 96 
			 Barnsley 65 
			 Rotherham 48 
			 Solihull 32 
			 Walsall 60 
			 Wolverhampton 92 
		
	
	(11) Limit applies in only one licensing zone.
	10 metropolitan authorities do not impose a limit on the number of taxis they license:
	Gateshead
	North Tyneside
	Wirral
	Bury
	Doncaster
	Sheffield
	Birmingham
	Coventry
	Dudley
	Sandwell
	We have written to those authorities which control taxi numbers requesting that they undertake a review of their policy, and if they decide to retain a limit that they publish a justification of that policy by the end of March 2005.

TRADE AND INDUSTRY

Arms Exports (Indonesia)

Malcolm Bruce: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry pursuant to the answer of 13 January 2005, Official Report, column 627W on arms exports (Indonesia) if she will provide a breakdown of the most recent repayment schedule for the sums owed by Indonesia in connection with the Indonesian purchases of (a) Scorpion and Stormer vehicles and (b) Hawk aircraft.

Douglas Alexander: Repayments in respect of the amounts referred to in my previous answer are due to be made in half-yearly instalments, the next falling due on 1 June 2005 and the last on 1 June 2021.
	Because details of amounts owed to the Paris Club are not held at contract level, it is not possible to provide repayment schedules in relation to individual contracts.

Business Regulation

Ian Liddell-Grainger: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what discussions she has had with businesses to review current levels of regulation.

Nigel Griffiths: I maintain close and regular contact with business. Businesses are routinely invited to participate in consultations on new policy and legislative proposals.

Business Regulatory Costs

Ian Liddell-Grainger: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what estimate her Department has made of the financial burden of business regulation for 2004.

Nigel Griffiths: All proposals which impact on business, charities or the voluntary sector require a Regulatory Impact Assessment (RIA) which includes details of the costs, benefits and risks of the proposal. Copies of final RIAs are available from the House Libraries and on departmental websites. We consult fully on proposals on the basis of these RIAs with business and other stakeholders.

Business Start-ups (Hartlepool)

Iain Wright: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many business start-ups were registered in Hartlepool in each year since records for unitary authorities are available.

Nigel Griffiths: Barclays data show that there were 400 business start-ups in Hartlepool unitary authority in 2003 and a further 500 in the first nine months of 2004. This represents a 67 per cent. increase on the first nine months of 2003.
	Business start-up data for unitary authorities are not available for before 2003. Barclays Bank's latest survey of business creation includes non-VAT registered firms and shows that there were 445,000 business start-ups in England and Wales in 2003, a 16 per cent. increase on the year before. A further 396,000 businesses started up in England and Wales in the first nine months of 2004. This represents an increase of 14 per cent. on the first nine months of 2003.
	DTI figures based solely on VAT registrations and de-registrations for Hartlepool unitary authority are shown below for 1994 to 2003. Data for 2004 will be available in autumn 2005.
	
		
			 VAT registrations Hartlepool 
		
		
			 1994 145 
			 1995 95 
			 1996 105 
			 1997 110 
			 1998 130 
			 1999 110 
			 2000 110 
			 2001 115 
			 2002 105 
			 2003 135 
		
	
	Source:
	Business Start-ups and Closures: VAT Registrations and De-registrations 1994–2003, Small Business Service, available from the Library of the House and also at: http://www.sbs.gov.uk/analytical/statistics/vatstats.php.
	A separate series of data is available for 1980 to 1993. Due to large increases in the VAT threshold in 1991 and 1993, and geographical boundary changes in the 1990s, this series is not comparable to the 1994 to 2003 series. DTI figures based solely on VAT registrations and de-registrations for Hartlepool are shown in the table for 1980 to 1993.
	
		VAT registrations in Hartlepool 1980 to 1993
		
			  Number 
		
		
			 1980 130 
			 1981 160 
			 1982 180 
			 1983 200 
			 1984 195 
			 1985 210 
			 1986 220 
			 1987 195 
			 1988 235 
			 1989 230 
			 1990 215 
			 1991 165 
			 1992 170 
			 1993 155 
		
	
	Source:
	Business Start-ups and Closures: VAT Registrations and De-registrations 1980–1993, Small Business Service, available from http://www.sbs.gov.uk/analytical/statistics/vatstats.php
	VAT registrations do not capture all start-up activity. Businesses are unlikely to be registered if they fall below the compulsory VAT threshold, which has risen in each year since 1997. Only 1.8 million out of 4 million enterprises were registered for VAT at the start of 2003.

Debt Recovery

Malcolm Bruce: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry pursuant to the answer of 10 February 2005, Official Report, column 1788W, on debt recovery, what the repayment schedule for each of the countries listed is; and what the estimated cost to the Government of rescheduling the debts is.

Douglas Alexander: The following table shows repayment schedules for debt that has been rescheduled under Paris Club agreements. Repayments are due to be made in half-yearly instalments.
	
		
			 Market Next payment due Final payment due 
		
		
			 Algeria 31 May 2005 30 November 2011 
			 Ghana 01 April 2005 01 July 2025 
			 Indonesia 01 June 2005 01 June 2021 
			 Pakistan 31 May 2005 30 November 2024 
		
	
	The details of non-Paris Club rescheduling arrangements are Commercial in Confidence. To reveal details would compromise ongoing negotiations with similar debtors.
	In addition to the premium that ECGD charges for insuring or guaranteeing a risk, the debt agreements through which recoveries of claims are made earn interest which is expected to cover the cost of funding the outstanding debt, including administration costs.

Digital Tick Logo

Jonathan Sayeed: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what the take-up has been to date of the digital tick logo indicating digitally compatible products and service among manufacturers and retailers; what the cost of the scheme has been so far; and if she will make a statement on the take-up of digital products and services.

Mike O'Brien: The Digital Switchover Logo licensing scheme was open to receive licence applications from manufacturers and retailers from 16 September 2004. As at Thursday 18 February 2005, manufacturer and retailer licensees of the logo numbered:
	245 retail organisations, representing 2,303 retail outlets across the UK
	20 manufacturers of digital television equipment (including most major brands)
	8 manufacturers of television aerials and/or coaxial cable
	Those companies who applied within the first seven weeks of the scheme, and single branch independent electrical retailers, were not required to pay an administration fee for the first year of the scheme. Once the founder member period, ended, all subsequent applicants were charged an administration fee.

Ellington Colliery

Laurence Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what discussions she has had with (a) the National Union of Mineworkers and (b) UK Coal about (i) safety of and (ii) the proposal to close Ellington Colliery.

Mike O'Brien: I have held discussions with representatives of both the National Union of Mineworkers and UK Coal. A range of issues were discussed.

Ellington Colliery

Laurence Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she will make a statement on the proposed closure of Ellington Colliery.

Mike O'Brien: As a privately owned company, UK Coal is the operator of Ellington, and any decision taken is a commercial one for the company. However, the Government do deeply regret the loss of Ellington, and our sympathies are with the workforce and their families at this difficult time. One North East is working with its partners on plans to assist regeneration in the in the area and offer the best possible new job opportunities for Ellington workers.

EU Committees

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many times during the (a) Italian, (b) Irish and (c) Dutch presidency of the EU the Advisory Committee on medical devices met; when and where these meetings took place; what UK Government expert was present; and if she will make a statement.

Rosie Winterton: I have been asked to reply.
	The committee on safety of devices (CSD) is an advisory non-departmental public body. This committee advises on a wide range of device related initiatives in order to help healthcare professionals deliver high standards of care to patients in relation to medical devices.
	The CSD met once during the Italian presidency, not at all during the Irish presidency and twice during the Dutch presidency. These meetings took place on 20 November 2003, 1 July 2004, and 18 November 2004. All the meetings took place in London. The Government expert present was Dr. Susanne Ludgate, clinical director (devices) of the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency, which acted as secretariat.
	A series of Command Papers on prospects for the European Union—Cm6174, laid in April 2004, Cm 6310, laid in September 2004 and Cm 6450, laid in February 2005, which cover the periods of the above presidencies are available on the Foreign and Commonwealth Office website at: www.fco.gov.uk/commandpapers.

EU Committees

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many times during the (a) Italian, (b) Irish and (c) Dutch presidency of the EU the Advisory Committee on Common Rules for Exports of Products met; when and where these meetings took place; what UK Government expert was present; and if she will make a statement.

Douglas Alexander: This Committee did not meet during these presidencies.

Nuclear Industry Safety

Tam Dalyell: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry 
	(1)  how many site inspections at nuclear installations did not proceed as a result of the recent work-to-rule by inspectors;
	(2)  what the full complement of site inspectors is; and how many are employed in monitoring the safety performance of the nuclear industry.

Mike O'Brien: holding answer 24 February 2005
	No site inspection visits have been cancelled because of the work-to-rule associated with the HSE-wide pay dispute, but some visits have been shorter and have covered fewer topics. Ministers have been advised by the Acting Chief Inspector, Dr. Mike Weightman, that the dispute has not resulted in a less than adequate level of nuclear regulatory oversight to date.
	The Health and Safety Executive's Nuclear Installations Inspectorate (NII) has a complement of 179 inspectors to provide regulatory oversight of the civil and defence-related nuclear industries. At present there are 164 inspectors in post, and there is a recruitment campaign underway. Inspectors are deployed flexibly across a wide range of inspection, project management and assessment duties, all of which contribute to delivery of nuclear safety assurance, including performance monitoring.
	NII does not have a fixed complement of site inspectors, but has a nominated lead inspector for every site. At present some 46 inspectors are employed full-time on site inspections (including investigations). In addition some inspectors normally employed on assessment work are also carrying out site inspections.

Parliamentary Questions

Michael Meacher: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when she will reply to the question tabled by the right hon. Member for Oldham, West and Royton on 10 January, reference 207743.

Douglas Alexander: I answered the question on 17 January 2005, Official Report, column 696W.

HOME DEPARTMENT

Asylum Seekers

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how much central Government grant has been paid to each local authority in England to cover the cost of asylum seeker support in each year since 1996–97.

Des Browne: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave her on 9 February 2005, Official Report, column 1519W.

Asylum Seekers

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the payments and grants made by the Government to each local authority in Wales to reimburse the costs of supporting asylum seekers in each year from 1996–97 to the establishment of the Welsh Assembly.

Des Browne: The information requested is not available in the precise format requested. The available information on grant payments to local authorities in Wales in respect of the support of asylum seekers was given to the hon. Member on 9 February 2005, Official Report, column 1519W.

Communicable Diseases

Charles Hendry: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department pursuant to the answer of 8 February 2005, Official Report, column 1469W, on communicable diseases (NHS staff), whether tests for communicable diseases are (a) compulsory and (b) required before a visa is issued, in those cases where a visa is necessary.

Des Browne: holding answer 28 February 2005
	It is long standing policy that people subject to immigration control who are seeking to enter the UK for more than six months from countries which are high risk for tuberculosis, whether for work or another purpose, should be checked for tuberculosis. High-risk countries are those with an annual incidence rate of over 40 cases of tuberculosis per 100,000 population.
	As we made clear in our five-year strategy for asylum and immigration Controlling our borders: Making migration work for Britain (Cm 6472), we will target health screening for tuberculosis in high-risk areas at the entry clearance stage; those who are diagnosed with it would then need to seek treatment at home before being allowed to enter the UK. We are keeping the case for extending routine health checks to diseases other than tuberculosis under review.

Departmental Costs

George Osborne: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how much has been spent on the production of in-house magazines in the Department in each year since 1997.

Fiona Mactaggart: The Home Office produces one departmental internal magazine centrally, Inside Track. Costs of production are held since April 1998 as follows:
	
		
			  £ 
		
		
			 1998–99 109,000 
			 1999–2000 87,000 
			 2000–01 125,000 
			 2001–02 134,000 
			 2002–03 171,000 
			 2003–04 174,000 
			 2004–05 (12)143,000 
		
	
	(12) To January 2005.
	Costs of other internal publications in the different business areas of the department are not held centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

Departmental Costs

George Osborne: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the cost of staff surveys in the Department was in each year since 1997.

Fiona Mactaggart: Staff surveys are regularly undertaken within the Home Office to assist understanding of organisational issues and pressures. External survey professionals are used to conduct these surveys and historical trends are evaluated. These surveys have the benefit of concentrating the department's efforts on issues which are considered to be problems by its staff. The cost of conducting the staff survey in the Department are set out in the table.
	
		£
		
			  1997 1999 2000 2001 2003 2004 
		
		
			 Non-Agency Home Office Cost not available Cost not available Cost not available 120,475 No survey 75,459 
			 Prison Service No survey No survey 30,000 40,000 47,700 (13)23,000 
			 United Kingdom Passport Service No survey 22,150 No survey 22,250 35,904 No survey 
			 Forensic Science Service No survey No survey 12,619 10,175 16,050 8,490 
		
	
	(13) This is the estimated cost of the 2004 survey. The reduction in cost can be attributed primarily from the transfer from a paper based survey to an electronically disseminated questionnaire.

Departmental Policies

Peter Pike: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will set out, with statistical information relating as directly as possible to Burnley constituency, the effects on Burnley of his Department's policies and actions since 2 May 1997.

Fiona Mactaggart: The Government have put in place policies in the areas of crime reduction, antisocial behaviour, policing and active communities that are yielding considerable benefits for the Burnley constituency, as well as for all parts of the UK.
	For example, between March 1997 and March 2004, the number of police officers in the Lancashire police force increased by 332 from 3,247 to 3,579. The Government's introduction of community support officers (CSOs) in 2002 has put 117 CSOs on Lancashire police force streets to tackle crime and antisocial behaviour. Between 1997 and 2003–04, Lancashire police force area has seen a reduction in recorded domestic burglary crimes of 41 per cent. and in recorded vehicle crimes of 39 per cent.
	Lancashire police will receive £190.8 million in general grants for 2005–06, an increase of 4.31 per cent. (£7.9 million) over last year. Lancashire police also gains around £0.4 million from the amending report for 2003–04, bringing the overall increase to 4.52 per cent. General grants funding to Lancashire has increased by 29.9 per cent. between 1997–98 and 2005–06. In addition to general grants, Lancashire will also receive around £17.4 million in specific grants funding for targeted initiatives and capital provision in 2005–06. The distribution of resources locally is a matter for the police authority and the chief constable.
	As crime prevention requires action across communities, every area has had a local crime and disorder reduction partnership (CDRP) since 1998 which brings together the police, health services, drugs agencies and council and community representatives to decide how to prevent and deter crime and antisocial behaviour.
	The Crime Reduction Programme (CRP) was a pioneering government intervention programme which ran for three years from April 1999 in England and Wales and took an evidence-based approach to crime reduction. Grants of over £340 million were allocated to over 1,470 projects, including CCTV, under 20 initiatives that formed part of the programme. One CCTV project in the Burnley CDRP area received a total of £426,000 from the CRP.
	Since 2001, successive initiatives have provided direct funding to each of the 376 crime and disorder reduction Partnerships in England and Wales. These initiatives include Communities Against Drugs, the Safer Communities Initiative, the Small Retailers in Deprived Areas scheme and the Building Safer Communities Fund. Since 2001, a total of £760,658 has been allocated to Burnley CDRP under these initiatives. A further £2.3 million has been provided over the two years 2003–04 and 2004–05 to the Home Office regional director in the north west for CDRP capacity building across the region.
	It is estimated that out of a million active offenders, 100,000 have three or more convictions and are responsible for half of all crime. There is a Prolific and other Priority Offenders (PPO) scheme in Burnley set up to target those offenders who cause a disproportionate amount of crime, disorder and antisocial behaviour in the community.
	The Government's crime reduction website provides further information on the work being done to reduce crime across the country, including information about action and results in local areas. It is available at http://www.crimereduction.gov.uk.
	New legislation has given local agencies a raft of powers, from antisocial behaviour orders to local dispersal orders and crack house closure powers, to work with local people to tackle antisocial behaviour and nuisance. In Burnley a total of 51 antisocial behaviour orders have been issued as of 10 February 2005. Local contacts for tackling antisocial behaviour can be found on http://www.together.gov.uk/authority.asp.
	Tackling Drug Misuse is a priority of this Government and their policy is set out in the 10 year National Drug Strategy launched in 1998 and updated in December 2002. (A copy of the Updated Drug Strategy 2002 is held in the Library.) Under this, the Government have invested substantially in measures to reduce the harms caused by illegal drugs, focussing on the four strands of:
	reducing the supply of illegal drugs;
	preventing young people from becoming problematic drug users;
	providing effective treatment to all who need it; and
	reducing drug-related crime.
	Direct annual funding nationally to tackle drug misuse amounted to £1,244 million in 2003–04, rising to £1,344 million in 2004–05. Burnley has seen a significant increase in direct funding for tackling drugs, in particular for drug treatment services and the throughcare and aftercare elements of the Drugs Intervention Programme. In 2003–04 the allocation for Lancashire Drug Action Team amounted to £5.47 million, rising to £7.61 million in 2004–05. Details of action taken to tackle drugs in the Burnley constituency can be obtained from the Lancashire Drugs Action Team, for contact details see http://www.drugs.gov.uk/Links/DrugActionTeams.
	The Government are working to ensure that citizens, communities and the voluntary sector are more fully engaged in tackling social problems, and there is more equality of opportunity and respect for people of all races and religions. Active community participation in England has increased by 1.5 million people between 2001 and 2003. Charities have been supported more effectively, and £125 million is being invested across the country through the futurebuilders" fund in voluntary and community organisations that help provide valuable public services. Advice on ways to engage local people in helping their communities is available on the Active Citizenship Centre website http://www.active-citizen.org.uk.
	The Home Office allocated £305,000 community support team funding (2002–04) for Burnley borough council. This funding covered four strands of work: leadership and change management (focusing on training and capacity building for members and officers) as well as providing managerial support, consultation and communications, youth and conflict resolution and race and community relations work.
	To support strong and active communities in which people of all races and backgrounds are valued, the Home Office funded a Community Cohesion Pathfinder in East Lancashire for 18 months ending September 2004. Burnley borough council was one of five authorities that made up the East Lancashire Pathfinder (known as East Lanes Together—ELT). The other areas included in this were Pendle, Rossendale, Lancashire county council and Hyndburn.
	ELT, for example, set up three different funding streams, which together distributed £275,000 to over 40 bodies and produced 20 Young Community Champions. Through this work, Community Empowerment Networks have run conflict resolution workshops; schools from very different areas have linked up; and local community groups have run multiracial sports and arts events.
	This year, 2005, is the year of the Volunteer which is being delivered by the Home Office in partnership with Community Service Volunteers and Volunteering England. This will include a whole range of events in local communities across the country that aim to celebrate the contribution which volunteers make to the quality of people's lives, and encourage more people to volunteer. We are particularly keen to encourage young people, black and minority ethnic groups, those with no qualifications and disabled people to get involved. More details can be found at www.yearofthevolunteer.org .
	Detailed information on the impact of Home Office policies across the full range of responsibilities is set out in the Home Office annual report and in the strategic plan for 2004–08, available on the Home Office website at http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk.

Departmental Policies

Barry Sheerman: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will set out, with statistical information relating as directly as possible to Huddersfield constituency, the effects on Huddersfield of his Department's policies and actions since 2 May 1997.

Fiona Mactaggart: The Government have put in place policies in the areas of crime reduction, antisocial behaviour, policing and active communities that are yielding considerable benefits for the Huddersfield constituency, as well as for all parts of the UK.
	For example, between March 1997 and March 2004, the number of police officers in the West Yorkshire police force increased by 104 from 5,209 to 5,313. The Government's introduction of community support officers (CSOs) in 2002 has put 298 CSOs on West Yorkshire streets to tackle crime and antisocial behaviour. Between 1997 and 2003–04, West Yorkshire has seen a reduction in recorded domestic burglary crimes of 23 per cent. and in recorded vehicle crimes of 6 per cent.
	West Yorkshire police will receive £313.6 million in general grants for 2005–06, an increase of 4.95 per cent. (£14.7 million) over 2004–05. West Yorkshire police also gains around £0.6 million from the amending report for 2003–04, bringing the overall increase to 5.15 per cent. General grants funding to West Yorkshire has increased by 31.7 per cent. between 1997–98 and 2005–06. In addition to general grants, West Yorkshire will also receive around £26.1 million in specific grants funding for targeted initiatives and capital provision in 2005–06. The distribution of resources locally is a matter for the police authority and the chief constable.
	As crime prevention requires action across communities, every area has had a local crime and disorder reduction partnership (CDRP) since 1998 which brings together the police, health services, drugs agencies and council and community representatives to decide how to prevent and deter crime and antisocial behaviour.
	The Crime Reduction Programme (CRP) was a pioneering government intervention programme which ran for three years from April 1999 in England and Wales and took an evidence-based approach to crime reduction. Grants of over £340 million were allocated to over 1,470 projects, including CCTV, under 20 initiatives that formed part of the programme. Four CCTV projects in the Kirklees CDRP area (which includes Huddersfield constituency) received a total of £438,650 from the CRP.
	Since 2001, successive initiatives have provided direct funding to each of the 376 crime and disorder reduction partnerships in England and Wales. These initiatives include Communities Against Drugs, the Safer Communities Initiative, the Small Retailers in Deprived Areas scheme and the Building Safer Communities Fund. Since 2001, a total of £2.07 million has been allocated to Kirklees CDRP under these initiatives. A further £1.8 million has been provided over the two years 2003–04 and 2004–05 to the Home Office regional director in the Yorkshire and the Humber for CDRP capacity building across the region.
	It is estimated that out of a million active offenders, 100,000 have three or more convictions and are responsible for half of all crime. There is a Prolific and other Priority Offenders (PPO) scheme in Kirklees set up to target those offenders who cause a disproportionate amount of crime, disorder and antisocial behaviour in the community.
	The Government's crime reduction website provides further information on the work being done to reduce crime across the country, including information about action and results in local areas. It is available at http://www.crimereduction.gov.uk.
	New legislation has given local agencies a raft of powers, from antisocial behaviour orders to local dispersal orders and crack house closure powers, to work with local people to tackle antisocial behaviour and nuisance. In Kirklees a total of 66 antisocial behaviour orders have been issued as of 21 February 2005. Kirklees is also one of 50 communities across the country that have been designated as 'Together Action Areas' and are set to get extra help to tackle antisocial behaviour. Local contacts for tackling antisocial behaviour can be found on http://www.together.gov.uk/authority.asp.
	Tackling Drug Misuse is a priority of this Government and their policy is set out in the 10 year National Drug Strategy launched in 1998 and updated in December 2002. (A copy of the Updated Drug Strategy 2002 is held in the Library.) Under this, the Government have invested substantially in measures to reduce the harms caused by illegal drugs, focusing on the four strands of:
	reducing the supply of illegal drugs;
	preventing young people from becoming problematic drug users;
	providing effective treatment to all who need it; and
	reducing drug-related crime.
	Direct annual funding nationally to tackle drug misuse amounted to £1,244 million in 2003–04, rising to £1,344 million in 2004–05. Kirklees has seen a significant increase in direct funding for tackling drugs, in particular for drug treatment services and the throughcare and aftercare elements of the Drugs Intervention Programme. In 2003–04 the allocation for Kirklees Drug Action Team amounted to £2.32 million, rising to £3.06 million in 2004–05. Details of action taken to tackle drugs in Huddersfield constituency can be obtained from the Kirklees Drugs Action Team, for contact details see http://www.drugs.gov.uk/Links/DrugActionTeams.
	The Government are working to ensure that citizens, communities and the voluntary sector are more fully engaged in tackling social problems, and there is more equality of opportunity and respect for people of all races and religions. Active community participation in England has increased by 1.5 million people between 2001 and 2003. Charities have been supported more effectively, and £125 million is being invested across the country through the futurebuilders fund in voluntary and community organisations that help provide valuable public services. Advice on ways to engage local people in helping their communities is available on the Active Citizenship Centre website http://www.active-citizen.org.uk.
	To support strong and active communities in which people of all races and backgrounds are valued, in 2003 the Home Office allocated from the Connecting Communities Fund a total of £590,000 to two, three-year projects in the Kirklees area. A Voluntary Action Kirklees project (grant £338,812) is supporting the development of Asian women's networks to promote greater community involvement from Asian women. Outcomes include partnership work with South Asian Healthy Living to run a confidence project and fitness training programmes. A Kirklees Racial Equality Council project (grant £251,718) is being launched in April 2005 and will see a series of seven faith resource centres, reflecting the major faiths, set up across Kirklees, with books, displays and other information materials. The centres will provide a unique educational experience for local school children and others wishing to learn more about faiths and cultures within Kirklees.
	Kirklees has also benefited from participation in the 18-month Community Cohesion Pathfinder Programme, established and launched in 2002 by the Home Office and the Neighbourhood Renewal Unit in the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister. Kirklees was one of 14 successful Pathfinders and was granted £285,000 to explore the best ways of building strong, active, and harmonious communities. Key outcomes from the programme included the 'Learning Lessons' report, which, by establishing what levels of community cohesion already existed, provided a basis for moving forward; and the Stories in a suitcase" project, which encouraged people over 50 in the community to create a story board reflecting where they had come from. This project was popular with both white and Asian residents living in Kirklees and helped change local perceptions about the differences between community groups.
	This year, 2005, is the year of the Volunteer which is being delivered by the Home Office in partnership with Community Service Volunteers and Volunteering England. This will include a whole range of events in local communities across the country that aim to celebrate the contribution which volunteers make to the quality of people's lives, and encourage more people to volunteer. We are particularly keen to encourage young people, black and minority ethnic groups, those with no qualifications and disabled people to get involved. More details can be found at www.yearofthevolunteer.org.
	Detailed information on the impact of Home Office policies across the full range of responsibilities is set out in the Home Office Annual Report and in the Strategic Plan for 2004–08, available on the Home Office website at http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk.

Departmental Policies

Gordon Prentice: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will set out, with statistical information relating as directly as possible to Pendle constituency, the effects on Pendle of his Department's policies and activities since 2 May 1997.

Fiona Mactaggart: The Government have put in place policies in the areas of crime reduction, antisocial behaviour, policing and active communities that are yielding considerable benefits for the Pendle constituency, as well as for all parts of the UK.
	For example, between March 1997 and March 2004, the number of police officers in the Lancashire Police Force increased by 332 from 3,247 to 3,579. The Government's introduction of community support officers (CSOs) in 2002 has put 117 CSOs on Lancashire's streets to tackle crime and antisocial behaviour. Between 1997 and 2003–04, Lancashire CDRP has seen a reduction in recorded domestic burglary crimes of 41 per cent. and in recorded vehicle crimes of 39 per cent.
	Lancashire Police will receive £190.8 million in general grants for 2005–06, an increase of 4.31 per cent. (£7.9 million) over last year. Lancashire Police also gains around £0.4 million from the Amending Report for 2003–04, bringing the overall increase to 4.52 per cent. General grants funding to Lancashire has increased by 29.9 per cent. between 1997–98 and 2005–06. In addition to general grants, Lancashire will also receive around £17.4 million in specific grants funding for targeted initiatives and capital provision in 2005–06. The distribution of resources locally is a matter for the police authority and the chief constable.
	As crime prevention requires action across communities, every area has had a local Crime and Disorder reduction Partnership (CDRP) since 1998 which brings together the police, health services, drugs agencies and council and community representatives to decide how to prevent and deter crime and antisocial behaviour.
	The Crime Reduction Programme (CRP) was a pioneering Government intervention programme which ran for three years from April 1999 in England and Wales and took an evidence-based approach to crime reduction. Grants of over £340 million were allocated to over 1,470 projects, including CCTV, under 20 initiatives that formed part of the programme. One CCTV project in the Pendle CDRP area, which includes the Pendle constituency, received a total of £201,000 from the CRP.
	Since 2001, successive initiatives have provided direct funding to each of the 376 Crime and Disorder Reduction Partnerships in England and Wales. These initiatives include Communities Against Drugs, the Safer Communities Initiative, the Small Retailers in Deprived Areas scheme and the Building Safer Communities Fund. Since 2001, a total of £543,187 has been allocated to Pendle CDRP under these initiatives. A further £2.3 million has been provided over the two years 2003–04 and 2004–05 to the Home Office Regional Director in the North West for CDRP capacity building across the region.
	It is estimated that out of a million active offenders, 100,000 have three or more convictions and are responsible for half of all crime. There is a Prolific and other Priority Offenders (PPO) scheme in Pendle set up to target those offenders who cause a disproportionate amount of crime, disorder and antisocial behaviour in the community.
	The Government's crime reduction website provides further information on the work being done to reduce crime across the country, including information about action and results in local areas. It is available at http://www.crimereduction.gov.uk.
	New legislation has given local agencies a raft of powers, from antisocial behaviour orders to local dispersal orders and crack house closure powers, to work with local people to tackle antisocial behaviour and nuisance. In Pendle a total of 16 antisocial behaviour orders have been issued as of 22 February 2005. Local contacts for tackling antisocial behaviour can be found on http://www.together.gov.uk/authority.asp
	Tackling Drug Misuse is a priority of this Government and its policy is set out in the 10 year National Drug Strategy launched in 1998 and updated in December 2002. (A copy of the Updated Drug Strategy 2002 is held in the Library.) Under this, the Government have invested substantially in measures to reduce the harms caused by illegal drugs, focussing on the four strands of:
	reducing the supply of illegal drugs;
	preventing young people from becoming problematic drug users;
	providing effective treatment to all who need it; and
	reducing drug-related crime.
	Direct annual funding nationally to tackle drug misuse amounted to £1,244 million in 2003–04, rising to £1,344 million in 2004–05. Pendle has seen a significant increase in direct funding for tackling drugs, in particular for drug treatment services and the throughcare and aftercare elements of the Drugs Intervention Programme. In 2003–04 the allocation for Lancashire Drug Action Team amounted to £5.47 million, rising to £7.61 million in 2004–05. Details of action taken to tackle drugs in the Pendle constituency can be obtained from the Lancashire Drugs Action Team, for contact details see http://www.drugs.gov.uk/Links/DrugActionTeams
	The Government are working to ensure that citizens, communities and the voluntary sector are more fully engaged in tackling social problems, and there is more equality of opportunity and respect for people of all races and religions. Active community participation in England has increased by 1.5 million people between 2001 and 2003. Charities have been supported more effectively, and £125 million is being invested across the country through the futurebuilders" fund in voluntary and community organisations that help provide valuable public services. Advice on ways to engage local people in helping their communities is available on the Active Citizenship Centre website http://www.active-citizen.org.uk
	To support strong and active communities in which people of all races and backgrounds are valued, the Home Office funded a Community Cohesion Pathfinder in East Lancashire for 18 months ending September 2004. Pendle borough council was one of five authorities that made up the East Lancashire Pathfinder (known as East Lanes Together—ELT). The other areas included in this were Burnley, Rossendale, Lancashire county council and Hyndburn. ELT, for example, set up three different funding streams, which together distributed £275,000 to over 40 bodies and produced 20 Young Community Champions. Through this work, Community Empowerment Networks have run conflict resolution workshops; schools from very different areas have linked up; and local community groups have run multiracial sports and arts events.
	This year, 2005, is the year of the Volunteer which is being delivered by the Home Office in partnership with Community Service Volunteers and Volunteering England. This will include a whole range of events in local communities across the country that aim to celebrate the contribution which volunteers make to the quality of people's lives, and encourage more people to volunteer. We are particularly keen to encourage young people, black and minority ethnic groups, those with no qualifications and disabled people to get involved. More details can be found at www.yearofthevolunteer.org
	Detailed information on the impact of Home Office policies across the full range of responsibilities is set out in the Home Office Annual Report and in the Strategic Plan for 2004–08, available on the Home Office website at http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk

Departmental Policies

Lorna Fitzsimons: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will set out, with statistical information relating as directly as possible to Rochdale constituency, the effects on Rochdale of his Department's policies and actions since 1997.

Fiona Mactaggart: The Government have put in place policies in the areas of crime reduction, antisocial behaviour, policing and active communities that are yielding considerable benefits for the Rochdale constituency, as well as for all parts of the UK.
	For example, between March 1997 and March 2004, the number of police officers in the Greater Manchester Police Force increased by 1,189 from 6,922 to 8,111. The Government's introduction of Community Support Officers (CSOs) in 2002 has put 229 CSOs on Greater Manchester's streets to tackle crime and antisocial behaviour. Between 1997 and 2003–04, the Greater Manchester Police Force area has seen a reduction in recorded domestic burglary crimes of 16 per cent. and in recorded vehicle crimes of 29 per cent.
	Greater Manchester Police Force will be receiving £412.5 million in general grants for 2005–06, an increase of 4.89 per cent. (£19.3 million) over 2004–05. Greater Manchester also gains around £0.8 million from the Amending Report for 2003–04, bringing the overall increase to 5.1 per cent. General grants funding to Greater Manchester Police has increased by 30 per cent. between 1997–98 and 2005–06. In addition to general grants, Greater Manchester will also receive around £39 million in specific grants funding for targeted initiatives and capital provision in 2005–06. The distribution of resources locally is a matter for the Police Authority and the Chief Constable.
	As crime prevention requires action across communities, every area has had a local Crime and Disorder reduction Partnership (CDRP) since 1998 which brings together the police, health services, drugs agencies and council and community representatives to decide how to prevent and deter crime and antisocial behaviour.
	The Crime Reduction Programme (CRP) was a pioneering government intervention programme which ran for three years from April 1999 in England and Wales and took an evidence-based approach to crime reduction. Grants of over £340 million were allocated to over 1,470 projects, including CCTV, under 20 initiatives that formed part of the programme. Two CCTV projects in the Rochdale CDRP area received a total of £209,536 from the CRP.
	Since 2001, successive initiatives have provided direct funding to each of the 376 Crime and Disorder Reduction Partnerships in England and Wales. These initiatives include Communities Against Drugs, the Safer Communities Initiative, the Small Retailers in Deprived Areas scheme and the Building Safer Communities Fund. Since 2001, a total of £1.6 million has been allocated to Rochdale CDRP under these initiatives. A further £1.8 million has been provided over the two years 2003–04 and 2004–05 to the Home Office Regional Director in the North West for CDRP capacity building across the region.
	It is estimated that out of a million active offenders, 100,000 have three or more convictions and are responsible for half of all crime. There is a Prolific and other Priority Offenders (PPO) scheme in Rochdale set up to target those offenders who cause a disproportionate amount of crime, disorder and antisocial behaviour in the community.
	The Government's Crime Reduction Website provides further information on the work being done to reduce crime across the country, including information about action and results in local areas. It is available at http://www.crimereduction.gov.uk.
	New legislation has given local agencies a raft of powers, from antisocial behaviour orders to local dispersal orders and crack house closure powers, to work with local people to tackle antisocial behaviour and nuisance. In Rochdale a total of 54 antisocial behaviour orders have been issued as of 17 February 2005. Local contacts for tackling antisocial behaviour can be found on http://www.together.gov.uk/authority.asp.
	Tackling Drug Misuse is a priority of this Government and their policy is set out in the 10 year National Drug Strategy launched in 1998 and updated in December 2002. (A copy of the Updated Drug Strategy 2002 is held in the Library). Under this, the Government have invested substantially in measures to reduce the harms caused by illegal drugs, focussing on the four strands of:
	reducing the supply of illegal drugs;
	preventing young people from becoming problematic drug users;
	providing effective treatment to all who need it; and
	reducing drug-related crime.
	Direct annual funding nationally to tackle drug misuse amounted to £1,244 million in 2003–04, rising to £1,344 million in 2004–05. Rochdale has seen a significant increase in direct funding for tackling drugs, in particular for drug treatment services and the throughcare and aftercare elements of the Drug Intervention Programme. In 2003–04 the allocation for Rochdale Drug Action Team amounted to £2.04 million, rising to £2.31 million in 2004–05. Details of action taken to tackle drugs in the Rochdale constituency can be obtained from the Rochdale Drug Action Team, for contact details see http://www.drugs.gov.uk/Links/DrugActionTeams.
	The Government are working to ensure that citizens, communities and the voluntary sector are more fully engaged in tackling social problems, and there is more equality of opportunity and respect for people of all races and religions. Active community participation in England has increased by 1.5 million people between 2001 and 2003. Charities have been supported more effectively, and £125 million is being invested across the country through the 'futurebuilders' fund in voluntary and community organisations that help provide valuable public services. Advice on ways to engage local people in helping their communities is available on the Active Citizenship Centre website http://www.active-citizen.org.uk.
	Rochdale was one of the founder members of the Home Office's Civic Pioneers network which now includes 14 local authorities in England. As a 'Civic Pioneer', a local authority shows its commitment to involving and engaging local people in decision making processes and in the design and delivery of local services, so that their involvement in local decision-making can be more diverse, constructive, sustained and rewarding. Rochdale has pioneered devolution to Area Forums and has been innovative in devising ways to engage and motivate young people at risk of offending, through schemes like Junior Wardens and projects to improve the local environment.
	To support strong and active communities in which people of all races and backgrounds are valued, the Home Office funded a Community Cohesion Pathfinder in Rochdale over 18 months from April 2003. This invested £150,000 via the local authority and £90,000 via voluntary and community sector partners. The Rochdale Community Cohesion Pathfinder focused on the complexity, diversity and distinctiveness of the local communities and put community partnership at the centre of the programme. Activities engaged a broad cross of people in the borough and included cultural and sports projects, local voluntary and community activity and activities developed by young people themselves. Examples of activity are the Sports United project which targeted territorialism and tension among local young people through the medium of sport and the Multi-faith partnership which promoted dialogue, learning and understanding between different faiths. Rochdale local authority achieved Beacon status for community cohesion.
	This year, 2005, is the year of the Volunteer which is being delivered by the Home Office in partnership with Community Service Volunteers and Volunteering England. This will include a whole range of events in local communities across the country that aim to celebrate the contribution which volunteers make to the quality of people's lives, and encourage more people to volunteer. We are particularly keen to encourage young people, black and minority ethnic groups, those with no qualifications and disabled people to get involved. More details can be found at www.yearofthevolunteer.org .
	Detailed information on the impact of Home Office policies across the full range of responsibilities is set out in the Home Office Annual Report and in the Strategic Plan for 2004–08, available on the Home Office website at http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk.

Entry Clearance (Students)

Humfrey Malins: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many student applications for entry clearance from (a) the Indian sub-continent, (b) Africa, (c) the United States, (d) Canada, (e) Australia and (f) New Zealand there were in (i) 2002, (ii) 2003 and (iii) 2004; how many were (A) granted and (B) refused; how many successful appeals there were against refusal; when he introduced fees for in-country variation of leave for students; and what assessment he has made of the reasons for the change in the number of students coming to the UK between 2002 and 2003.

Chris Mullin: I have been asked to reply.
	The information on student applications for entry clearance, which are issued and refused for the specified areas, is as follows:
	
		
			   April 2001 to March 2002 April 2002 to March 2003 April 2003 to March 2004 
			  Visas Issued Refused Issued Refused Issued Refused 
		
		
			 (a) Indian Sub-Continent(14) 16,192 10,502 18,808 14,331 29,409 25,827 
			 (b) Africa 19,864 8,978 20,551 14,363 19,312 20,501 
			 (c) US 658 6 699 8 1,917 33 
			 (d) Canada 219 1 294 1 612 3 
			 (e) Australia 363 2 355 1 412 2 
			 (f) New Zealand 74 5 62 7 78 20 
		
	
	(14) Comprised of Chennai (Madras), Colombo, Dhaka, Islamabad, Karachi, Kathmandu, Kolkata (Calcutta), Mumbai (Bombay), New Delhi.
	Figures for April 2004 to March 2005 are not yet available. When they are, they can be found, along with further entry clearance statistics, on the UKvisas website at www.ukvisas.gov.uk—Entry Clearance: Facts and Figures". The figures provided represent pre-entry applications and show a general increase in issues and refusals. The Foreign and Commonwealth Office does not have figures detailing the number of successful appeals that were made against decisions to refuse entry clearance.
	The Home Office introduced fees for in-country leave to remain applications in August 2003. A joint project undertaken recently by the Home Office, the Department for Education and Skills, and the British Council includes an assessment of the impact of the charges on the numbers of international students coming to the UK (see particularly Sections 5 and 6 of the report). The report was published on the Home Office website on 7 February 2005 and is available at www.ind.homeoffice.gov.uk (Link through News"—to Press Releases and Announcements"—to 2005 IND Fee Review"—to Improving the Evidence on International Students").

EU Directive 2004/81

Sarah Teather: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department pursuant to the answer of 9 December 2004, Official Report, column 741W on EU Directive 2004/81, if he will publish the review undertaken.

Des Browne: The cross Whitehall review referred to in my response to the hon. Member, 9 December 2004, Official Report, column 741W, was an internal process and was not intended for publication.

Freedom of Information

John Mann: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what categories of information are available under Freedom of Information legislation that have not been provided in written parliamentary answers by his Department in the last three years.

Fiona Mactaggart: I refer my hon. Friend to the answer given by the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs (Mr. Leslie) on 24 January 2005, Official Report, column 140W.

Freedom of Information

Julian Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what his policy is in respect of the publication (a) on the departmental website and (b) by placing copies in the Library of (i) all or (ii) a selection of the information disclosed in response to Freedom of Information requests since January.

Fiona Mactaggart: Guidance on Publication Schemes, issued by the Department for Constitutional Affairs in July 2002, recommended that where information is disclosed to an individual in response to a request under the Freedom of Information Act, Departments and non-departmental public bodies should consider whether the information disclosed is of general interest and include released information in the Publication Scheme where appropriate.
	Both our policy and our Publication Scheme is currently being developed to ensure that where information releases are likely to be of interest to the wider public the information is routinely and simultaneously disclosed on the departmental website, and additional classes considered for inclusion within the Publication Scheme, where it is appropriate. We do not currently have plans to place copies of released information in the Library.

Freedom of Information

Llew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department on how many occasions when considering requests to his Department for information under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 it has been necessary to extend the statutory reply period beyond 20 working days because of consideration of whether the request might result in a breach of national security.

Fiona Mactaggart: For the period from 1 January to 4 February, there has been one case in the Home Office where we have written to the applicant, extending the deadline because we are considering the public interest test in relation to the exemption contained within s.24 (national security).

Initiatives (Funding)

Andrew Mitchell: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what budget has been allocated to the Home Office Internal Communications Unit in each of the last two years; and how many staff have been employed by the Unit in each year.

Fiona Mactaggart: The Home Office Internal Communication Unit's budget was £1.593 million in the financial year 2003–04, when it employed 19 staff.
	In 2004–05 the Unit's budget was £1.619 million and 21 staff were employed.

Religious Qualifications

Claire Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the outcome of his consultations with faith groups on his Department's proposal to introduce religious qualification requirements for those seeking admission as a Minister of Religion.

Fiona Mactaggart: We have carried out extensive consultation with faith bodies and representatives about the introduction of a pre-entry English language requirement for Ministers of Religion from abroad that came into effect last August. Individuals now applying for leave to enter the United Kingdom as Ministers of Religion are required to demonstrate that they are competent in the use of spoken English, to level 4 of the International Language Testing System, this will be raised to level 6 after two-years.
	We will shortly begin a further stage of consultation with faith communities on other requirements the Government are considering introducing to ensure that Ministers of Religion admitted from abroad are able to play a full role in their communities and gain an understanding and appreciation of British civic life. An announcement about the launch of this consultation will be made in February.

Rural Policing Fund

Elfyn Llwyd: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he plans to expand in real terms the Rural Policing Fund.

Hazel Blears: There are no plans to expand the Rural Policing Fund. We consider it is fairer to put any increases in grant into the main £4.6 billion Home Office general police grant provision. The Rural Policing Fund remains a discrete £30 million pot outside the main formula grant arrangements for 2005–06. It is paid to 31 police authorities.

Small and Medium-sized Enterprises

Annabelle Ewing: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether the New Grant Programme for small and medium-sized (SME) enterprises to be launched on 26 January by the Home Office is applicable to SMEs in Scotland.

Fiona Mactaggart: holding answer 17 January 2005
	The Payroll Giving Grant Programme does apply to SME's in Scotland and a dedicated launch event took place in Scotland on 2 February.

SCOTLAND

Departmental Costs

George Osborne: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what the cost of producing a staff identity pass was in the Department on the latest date for which figures are available; and how many staff identity passes have been reported lost or stolen in each year since 1997.

Anne McGuire: The Scotland Office was established on 1 July 1999. Staff identity passes for the Office are produced by the Scottish Executive and separate costs of production are not available. Details of passes lost or stolen are only available from January 2003; the information is as follows.
	
		
			 Period Lost Stolen 
		
		
			 2002–03(15) 1 0 
			 2003–04 3 1 
		
	
	(15) Part year only.

Departmental Publications

Alistair Carmichael: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many publications his Department has produced in each of the last six years; how many copies of each publication were made; and what the total cost of producing each set of documents was.

Anne McGuire: The Scotland Office was established on 1 July 1999. Information on publications is set out in the following table; this does not include a number of documents currently on the Office website which were produced solely for web-based consultation or printing.
	
		
			 Year Title Number of copies Cost (£) 
		
		
			 1999–2000 Comparisons of Motoring Taxation Costs Across Europe 200 (estimate) 4,500 
			 
			 2000–01 The Scotland Office Departmental Report 2000 150 2,000 
			  The Scotland Office Resource Accounts 1999–2000 30 151 
			 
			 2001–02 Scotland Office Winter Supplementary Estimate 2001–02 50 2,200 
			  Friends of Scotland 1,000 4,171 
			  The Scotland Office Departmental Report 2001 150 3,160 
			  The Scotland Office Resource Accounts 2000–01 55 2,323 
			 
			 2002–03 The Size of the Scottish Parliament—a consultation 750 1,007 
			  Sunday Working in Scotland—a consultation 750 1,250 
			  The Scotland Office Departmental Report 2002 150 3,869 
			  The Scotland Office Resource Accounts 2001–02 55 2,346 
			 
			 2003–04 The Scotland Office Departmental Report 2003 150 4,036 
			  The Scotland Office Resource Accounts 2002–03 60 2,142 
			 
			 2004–05 The Scotland Office Annual Report 2004 150 4,119 
			  The Scotland Office Resource Accounts 2003–04 61 1,999 
			  Fifth Periodical Report of the Boundary Commission for Scotland 500 7,374

Gaelic Language

Alan Reid: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what his Department's policy is on the use of the Gaelic language; and what plans his Department has to prepare and implement a Gaelic language scheme.

Anne McGuire: As I confirmed to the hon. Member at Scottish questions on 8 February 2005, Official Report, column 1331, the Scotland Office has been working closely with colleagues in Whitehall and the Scottish Executive on the voluntary arrangements for UK bodies in Scotland to reflect the spirit of the Scottish Parliament's legislative proposals on Gaelic language schemes.
	The Scotland Office attaches great importance to the promotion and protection of the Gaelic language in line with the UK's obligations under the European Charter for Regional and Minority Languages.

ADVOCATE-GENERAL

Gaelic Language

Alan Reid: To ask the Advocate-General what her Department's policy is on the use of the Gaelic language; and what plans her Department has to prepare and implement a Gaelic language scheme.

Lynda Clark: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given today by my hon. Friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Scotland.

CABINET OFFICE

Departmental Contracts

Mike Hancock: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office how many contracts in his Department have been granted to (a) EDS, (b) Fujitsu and (c) EDS and Fujitsu jointly in each of the last two years; whether they were open to competition; for what they were granted; for how much; over what period of time; and if he will make a statement.

David Miliband: The following contracts were awarded to EDS Ltd. and Fujitsu in 2002–03 and 2003–04.
	EDS Ltd:
	For: An Emergency Communications Network
	This contract was originally let in October 2000 by the Home Office, through the Government Telecommunications Catalogue. The contract was transferred to the Cabinet Office in February 2002, and was extended by the Cabinet Office in October 2003 for a further two years to November 2005.
	Value: As this contract is still current, this information is regarded as commercially confidential.
	Fujitsu:
	For: A Risk Analysis Study
	Competitively Tendered: Yes
	Value: Approximately £24,000
	Duration: October 2002 to December 2002
	For: Development of an Information Strategy
	Competitively Tendered: Yes
	Value: Approximately £140,000
	Duration: March 2003 to June 2003
	For: Audit of Secure Computer Systems in Emergency Room
	Competitively Tendered: No, in view of the value of the contract and the swift resolution required, a single-tender action was taken using Fujitsu. Fujitsu were able to provide information technology engineers who were already security cleared, which was a necessary requirement of this contract.
	Value: Approximately £4,700
	Duration: Five days in May 2003
	For: A Scoping Study for a Management Information System
	Competitively Tendered: Sourced from S-CAT
	Value: Approximately £100,000
	Duration: February 2004 to April 2004
	No joint contracts were awarded to EDS Ltd. and Fujitsu.
	The Cabinet Office awards contracts in open competition according to the EU Procurement Regulations, based on best value for money.

Government Car and Despatch Agency

George Osborne: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office how much has been spent on overtime pay to drivers from the Government Car and Despatch Agency in each year since 1997.

David Miliband: The responsibility for the provision of ministerial cars and drivers has been delegated under the terms of the Framework Document to the Government Car and Despatch Agency. I have asked its Chief Executive Mr. Nick Matheson to write to the hon. Member. Copies of his letter will be placed in the Library.

Waste

Barry Sheerman: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what the status is of the review of co-ordination of interdepartmental responsibility for waste policy and the possible establishment of a strategic waste authority; and what plans there are to publish the review findings.

Alan Whitehead: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what has been the outcome of the review conducted by his office of the scope for improving the co-ordination of interdepartmental responsibilities for waste policy; and what plans he has for its publication.

David Miliband: The Strategy Unit's report Waste not Want Not: a Strategy for Tackling the Waste Problem in England" concluded that there should be a review to assess the merits of focusing all central government's waste policy in one Department. The Cabinet Office was invited by the Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs to conduct this review. The conclusions of the review will be published in due course.

HEALTH

Alcohol-related Emergencies

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many (a) binge drinking and (b) other alcohol-related emergency cases there were in hospitals in (a) England and (b) Romford and Havering in the last period for which figures are available.

Stephen Ladyman: These data are held collectively by counts of finished admission episodes for in-patients for alcohol-related cases where the admission method was emergency. Figures for binge drinking are not held centrally.
	The table shows data for finished admission episodes in England and Barking, Havering and Redbridge hospitals national health service trust, which operates in Romford and Havering.
	
		Count of finished admission episodes (alcohol-related(16))—NHS hospitals in England 2003–04
		
			   Finished admission episodes 
		
		
			 RF4 Barking, Havering and Redbridge Hospitals NHS Trust 563 
			  England 103,918 
		
	
	(16) ICD-10 codes = alcohol-related" as advised by NHS Information Authority clinical coding service. Counts include any of the records where the following listed codes are recorded in the primary or secondary field.
	Primary diagnosis:
	F10—Mental and behavioural disorders due to use of alcohol.
	R78.0—Finding of alcohol in blood.
	T51.0—Ethanol.
	Secondary diagnosis:
	F10—Mental and behavioural disorders due to use of alcohol.
	R78.0—Finding of alcohol in blood.
	X45—Alcohol poisoning and exposure to alcohol.
	Y90—Evidence of alcohol involvement determined by alcohol level.
	Notes:
	1. A finished admission episode is the first period of in-patient care under one consultant within one healthcare provider. Please note that admissions do not represent the number of in-patients, as a person may have more than one admission within the year.
	2. The primary diagnosis is the first of up to 14 (seven prior to 2002–03) diagnosis fields in the hospital episode statistics (HES) data set and provides the main reason why the patient was in hospital.
	3. As well as the primary diagnosis, there are up to 13 (six prior to 2002–03) secondary diagnosis fields in HES that show other diagnoses relevant to the episode of care.
	4. Figures have not been adjusted for shortfalls in data (i.e. the data are ungrossed).
	Source:
	HES, Department of Health.

Ambulance Service

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what guidance he issues about the number of ambulances per head of population that should be on call at any one time.

Rosie Winterton: No recent guidance has been issued about the number of ambulances per head of population that should be on call at any one time.
	Each ambulance service should plan to provide appropriate resources to meet local demand. This may include resources in addition to ambulance provision, for example using community paramedics or emergency care practitioners.
	The Ambulance improvement checklist" includes a section on information management, which refers for example to; matching supply and demand on an hourly basis by good use of information and establishing systems to analyse and predict demand and resulting capacity requirement throughout the trust on a dynamic basis. The checklist is intended as an aid to all national health service ambulance trusts and their staff to ensure that all possible steps are being taken to improve and streamline the care of patients presenting to emergency care, and is available on the Department's website at www.dh.gov.uk/assetRoot/04/05/07/60/04050760.pdf.

Aneurysm

George Osborne: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans he has to introduce an NHS national screening programme for aneurysm.

Melanie Johnson: The United Kingdom national screening committee (NSC) is currently considering the feasibility of implementing a screening programme for abdominal aortic aneurysms, including the implications for the national health service. This follows a multi centre study funded by the Medical Research Council.
	The NSC is expected to advise later in the year.

Cardiac Care (Essex)

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many cardiac-related emergency cases have been treated in hospitals in Romford and Havering in each year since 1997.

Stephen Ladyman: A count of finished consultant episodes for in-patients for cardiac-related operations where the admission method was emergency at Barking, Havering and Redbridge Hospitals National Health Service Trust is shown in the table. The trust operates in Romford and Havering.
	Counts do not include those elective patients who undergo an emergency treatment.
	
		Count of finished consultant episodes for selected providers. Method of admission—emergency. Main operation—heart operations defined as OPCS-4 between K01 to K71. NHS Hospitals in England 1996–97 to 2003–04
		
			  RG4 Redbridge Healthcare NHS Trust RG7 Havering Healthcare NHS Trust RF4 Barking, Havering and Redbridge Hospitals NHS Trust Total 
		
		
			 1996–97 48 74 — 122 
			 1997–98 46 55 — 100 
			 1998–99 52 62 — 114 
			 1999–2000 65 40 — 105 
			 2000–01 54 20 — 74 
			 2001–02 — — 97 97 
			 2002–03 — — 82 82 
			 2003–04 — — 208 208 
		
	
	Notes:
	1. A finished consultant episode is defined as a period of admitted patient care under one consultant within one healthcare provider. Please note that the figures do not represent the number of patients, as a person may have more than one episode of care within the year.
	2. Figures are grossed for both coverage and missing/invalid clinical data, except for 2002–03 and 2003–04, which are not yet adjusted for shortfalls.
	3. The main operation is the first recorded operation in the hospital episode statistics (HES) data set and is usually the most resource intensive procedure performed during the episode. It is appropriate to use main operation when looking at admission details, eg time waited, but the figures for all operations count of episodes" give a more complete count of episodes with an operation.
	Source:
	HES, Department of Health.

CFS/ME

Peter Luff: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what his most recent estimate is of the incidence of chronic fatigue syndrome/myalgic encephalomyelitis (a) in England and (b) in Worcestershire.

Stephen Ladyman: The Department does not hold the information requested on the incidence of chronic fatigue syndrome/myalgic encephalomyelitis.

Departmental Policies (Stourbridge)

Debra Shipley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will set out, with statistical evidence relating as closely as possible to the Stourbridge constituency, the effects of changes to departmental policy since 1997 on the Stourbridge constituency.

Stephen Ladyman: The Government have put in place a programme of national health service investment and reform since 1997 to improve service delivery in all parts of the United Kingdom. There is significant evidence that these policies have yielded considerable benefits for the Stourbridge constituency.
	For example:
	At the end of December 2004, the number of people waiting more than six months for in-patient treatment within Dudley South Primary Care Trust (PCT) has fallen to three, from 327 in June 2002.
	At the end of September 2004, the number of patients waiting over 13 weeks for out-patient treatment within Dudley South PCT has fallen to two, from 209 in June 2002.
	In September 2002, at the Dudley Group of Hospitals NHS Trust, 85.5 per cent. of patients spent less than four hours in accident and emergency from arrival to admission, transfer or discharge. Figures for December 2004 show an improvement to 96.5 per cent.
	The latest figures, September 2004, show that all urgent general practitioner referrals with suspected cancer are seen by a specialist within two weeks.
	Figures for December 2004 show that all patients within Dudley South PCT are able to be offered an appointment with a GP within two working days and a primary care professional within one working day.
	Russell's Hall Hospital, part of the Dudley Group of Hospitals NHS Trust, is a new £160 million private finance initiative-funded hospital due to be officially opened later this year.
	A new computed tomography scanner was delivered to the Dudley Group of Hospitals NHS Trust in January 2005.
	Between September 1997 and June 2004, the number of consultants working at the Dudley Group of Hospitals NHS Trust has increased from 84 to 105. Between September 1997 and September 2003, the number of nurses has increased from 1,087 to 1,112.
	Between September 2001 and June 2004, the number of general medical practitioners within the Dudley South PCT has increased from 120 to 130.

Chorley Hospital

Lindsay Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many people have been treated for cancer at Chorley Hospital in the last five years.

Melanie Johnson: The information is not collected in the format requested. The table shows the number of patients treated for cancer at Chorley and South Ribble National Health Service Trust, Preston Acute Hospitals NHS Trust and Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust. Chorley and South Ribble District Hospital was previously part of Chorley and South Ribble NHS Trust and is now part of Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust.
	
		
			 Provider of Treatment 1999–2000 2000–01 2001–02 2002–03 2003–04 
		
		
			 RJU Chorley and South Ribble NHS trust — 1,542 1,631 n/a n/a 
			 RMF Preston Acute Hospitals NHS trust 8,338 7,470 5,336 n/a n/a 
			 RXN Lancashire teaching hospitals NHS trust n/a n/a n/a 6,611 5,927 
			 Unique patients(17) 8,338 8,673 6,770 6,611 5,927 
		
	
	(17) This is not the sum of the counts for each trust, since a patient may be treated by more than one trust.
	Notes:
	1. A finished admission episode is the first period of in-patient care under one consultant within one healthcare provider. Please note that admissions do not represent the number of in-patients, as a person may have more than one admission within the year.
	2. The primary diagnosis is the first of up to 14 (seven prior to 2002–03) diagnosis fields in the hospital episode statistics (HES) data set and provides the main reason why the patient was in hospital.
	3. Figures have not been adjusted for shortfalls in data (i.e. the data are ungrossed).
	4. Patient counts are based on the unique patient identifier HESID. This identifier is derived based on patient's date of birth, postcode, sex, local patient identifier and NHS number, using an agreed algorithm. Where data are incomplete, HESID might erroneously link episodes or fail to recognise episodes for the same patient. Care is therefore needed, especially where duplicate records persist in the data. The patient count cannot be summed across a table where patients may have episodes in more than one cell.
	Providers of treatment:
	RJU—Chorley and South Ribble National Health Service Trust
	RMF—Preston Acute Hospitals NHS Trust
	RXN—Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust
	Primary diagnosis: (ICD-10 C00-D48) Cancer Neoplasms—counts of finished admission episodes and patients. NHS hospitals, 1999–2000 to 2003–04
	Source:
	HES, Department of Health.

Co-proxamol

Graham Brady: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether his Department will maintain approval for Co-proxamol for those patients who have intolerance to other painkillers.

Rosie Winterton: There are a number of alternatives for managing painful conditions and the Committee on Safety of Medicines (CSM) has issued advice on pain management options to assist prescribers together with individual patients, in choosing appropriate pain management strategies. This guidance also refers to a number of sources of additional advice including the British National Formulary, which is sent to all doctors and pharmacists.
	The CSM's overview of alternative analgesic options was communicated though the Chief Medical Officer's public health link to all health care professionals, accompanying the communication on the withdrawal of co-proxamol and is available on the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency's website www.mhra.gov.uk. Copies have been placed in the Library.
	It has been agreed with the manufacturers to withdraw co-proxamol over an extended period of time in order to allow long term users an opportunity to adopt suitable alternative pain management strategies. At the end of the phased withdrawal and following the cancellation or withdrawal of the Marketing Authorisations for existing products, the provision would remain for the supply of unlicensed preparations to individual patients on the clinical responsibility primarily of a patient's doctor.

Exempted Prescriptions

Jim Cousins: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what changes have been made over the last two years to the guidance issued to the NHS Counter Fraud Compliance Unit on (a) recovery of incorrectly exempted prescriptions, (b) recovery of incorrectly exempted prescriptions from incapacity benefit claimants, (c) the bringing of cases to the civil courts and (d) the recovery of past debts and costs.

Rosie Winterton: No changes have been made to guidance issued to the national health service counter fraud and security management service (CFSMS) compliance unit regarding recovery of funds lost due to incorrect claims to exemption in relation to prescription charges.
	Guidance was issued in 2004 regarding incapacity benefit claimants, directing the compliance unit to urge patients to make a claim under the Low Income Scheme where they were found to have made an incorrect claim for exemption, and to only recover the cost of the prescription if their claim to exemption was successful. In cases where claimants are not successful, a penalty charge will be applied.
	During the financial year 2003–04, a review of the compliance unit systems was carried out by CFSMS to improve the efficiency and cost effectiveness of the unit.
	The process for the compliance unit taking cases to the civil courts for recovery was specifically reviewed to assess whether use of the court represented best value for money to CFSMS in the recovery of debts and whether the costs of the unit could be reduced.
	In August 2003, the compliance unit was advised not to take any further cases to the civil courts as the review showed that the process cost 10 times more than the amount that was actually recovered.

Gender Dysphoria

Chris McCafferty: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what guidance he has given to primary care trusts on ensuring that patients with gender dysphoria are able to access assessment and treatment on the same basis as other patients with a mental illness.

Rosie Winterton: Guidance on gender dysphoria was included in the national definitions set for specialised services; this suggests that primary care trusts should commission such services collectively. Specialised services for mental health, including services for people with gender dysphoria, are being reviewed by Professor Louis Appleby, the national director for mental health. A report is due in May.

Heart Disease (Women)

George Osborne: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what steps the NHS takes to encourage women to have regular blood pressure checks;
	(2)  what steps the Department is taking to raise awareness of the risks of cardiac disease in women.

Melanie Johnson: Standards one to four of the national service framework for coronary heart disease, published in March 2000, set out a comprehensive programme of action for the management of risks associated with heart disease including high blood pressure, for both men and women. The Department is working with the national health service, local government, the voluntary sector and other key stakeholders to ensure improved awareness and better management of risks for all patients at risk of cardiovascular illness.

HIV/AIDS

Nigel Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  how many people in England (a) have AIDS and (b) are HIV positive;
	(2)  what the average life expectancy of someone with AIDS is; and what it was in 1990;
	(3)  what percentage of new HIV cases in England in (a) 2003 and (b) 2004 were not British citizens.

Melanie Johnson: In 2003, the latest year for which figures are available, there were 34,103 individuals with diagnosed HIV infection living in England, 8,056 of whom were reported as having AIDS, and a further 246 with a diagnosis of an AIDS defining illness who were reported as having died during that year. Estimates for the total number of adults living with HIV—undiagnosed and diagnosed—are available for the United Kingdom. In 2003, it was estimated that in total 53,000 adults were living with HIV in the UK.
	National HIV surveillance figures do not include information about nationality, citizenship or residency status.
	Highly active antiretroviral therapies (HAART) became available in the mid-1990s. HIV infection can be well controlled if infection is diagnosed and appropriate treatment with these therapies is given. There is no sign of any decline in the effectiveness of HAART at a population level. Although it is not possible to estimate precisely the life expectancy of individuals whose HIV infections have been diagnosed and who are receiving HAART, the availability of these treatments has greatly prolonged the life expectancy of those diagnosed with HIV (and AIDS).
	In 1990 (before the introduction of HAART), and in people today whose HIV infection is not diagnosed or is not treated, life expectancy varies considerably. It is estimated that the average time between HIV infection and developing AIDS is 10 years and from AIDS diagnosis to death is 18 months to two years.

Hospital Funding (Essex)

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what funds have been allocated to hospitals in Romford and Havering in each year since 1997.

Stephen Ladyman: The Department does not make revenue allocations to national health service trusts. Revenue allocations are made to primary care trusts, which are responsible for commissioning services from NHS trusts, such as those provided by Barking, Havering and Redbridge Hospitals NHS Trust, to meet the needs of their local population.

International Recruitment

Tom Brake: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many private sector healthcare providers have signed up to the NHS Code of Practice for the international recruitment of healthcare professionals; and how many private sector healthcare providers there are.

John Hutton: The Code of Practice for international recruitment of healthcare professionals has been signed up to by both the Independent Healthcare Forum and the Registered Nursing Home Association. Both these organisations represent many independent healthcare providers. The number and names of these providers is not collated by the Department.
	Data related to the number of independent sector healthcare providers are not held centrally by the Department.

Living Wills

Brian Iddon: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what the policy of Hammersmith and Fulham Hospital is in relation to providing living wills to patients; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  how many NHS hospitals provide living wills to patients.

Stephen Ladyman: Information on how many national health service hospitals provide living wills to patients is not collected centrally.
	Healthcare professionals will discuss possible treatment options with a patient as part of the treatment process and this should, where an individual's condition makes it appropriate, include how they would like to be treated if or when they become incapacitated. Individual trusts will decide what arrangements to have in place locally.

Mental Health Care

Lynne Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to the answer of 21 February 2005, Official Report, column 164W, on mental health, how many NHS trusts (a) supplement the income of and (b) provide goods in kind for people in hospital for more than a year.

Rosie Winterton: The information is not collected centrally.

Mental Health Care

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many trained medical doctors there have been in mental health facilities in Romford and Havering constituencies in each year since 1997.

Stephen Ladyman: The information requested is shown in the table.
	Data held by the Department are not broken down by mental health facilities but by the number of hospital, public health medicine and community health services (HCHS) staff within the psychiatry group of specialties for each trust.
	Barking, Havering and Redbridge Hospitals National Health Service Trust and East London Mental Health Trust are the two trusts operating in Romford and Havering.
	There are no staff in Barking, Havering and Redbridge Hospitals NHS Trust within the psychiatry group of specialities and the Department only has figures dating back to 2001 for North East London Mental Health Trust.
	
		HCHS staff within the psychiatry group of specialties—as at 30 September each year
		
			 North East London Mental Health NHS Trust RAT Number (headcount) 
		
		
			 2001 102 
			 2002 96 
			 2003 71 
		
	
	Source:
	Department of Health medical and dental workforce census.

Naltrexone

Lynne Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  if his Department will conduct trials of the use of low-dose naltrexone in the treatment of multiple sclerosis; and if he will make a statement on its availability on the NHS;
	(2)  what trials have taken place of low dose Naltrexone (LDN) for the treatment of multiple sclerosis; and if he will make a statement on the availability on the NHS of LDN for sufferers of MS.

Stephen Ladyman: The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency, which is responsible for ensuring that all new medicines and medical devices sold in the United Kingdom meet appropriate standards of safety, quality and efficacy, is unaware of any clinical trials having taken place in the United Kingdom using low-dose naltrexone in the treatment of multiple sclerosis. It is aware that a small trial, funded by a charity, is under consideration.
	In the UK, naltrexone is currently only licensed for the treatment of opiate dependency. Nevertheless, there is provision in both UK and European legislation, which allows doctors to prescribe, on their own direct personal responsibility, a specially prepared medicinal product for administration on a named patient" basis where they consider it necessary to meet a special clinical need.

NHS Funding

Andrew Murrison: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to his oral statement of 9 February 2005, Official Report, columns 1503–18, on NHS funding, what the total expenditure on the National Programme for IT in England by (a) the Department and (b) primary care trusts will be in each financial year from 2003–04 to 2007–08.

John Hutton: The Department's actual/planned expenditure on the national programme for information technology for the years in question is shown in the table. The figures are on a resource accounting basis and therefore include the cost of capital charges and depreciation of fixed assets.
	
		
			  Amount (£ million) 
		
		
			 2003–04 102 
			 2004–05 404 
			 2005–06 1,873 
			 2006–07 1,968 
			 2007–08 1,796 
		
	
	Estimates for primary care trust expenditure are not held centrally.

NHS Performance

Simon Burns: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will publish the URL on his Department's website which allows users to view the guide to NHS performance in each parliamentary constituency.

Rosie Winterton: holding answer 10 February 2005
	The Department publishes on its website information on national health service organisations, which includes some performance data. This information is in the form of NHS factsheets, which can be viewed by NHS region and by parliamentary constituency. The URL is: www.dh.gov.uk/nhsfactsheets.
	NHS factsheets are internal Departmental briefing sheets on individual strategic health authorities and NHS trusts. They contain organisational information, contact details and selected published statistical information. NHS factsheets are updated regularly.
	The Department first published these factsheets on its website on 3 December 2004 as part of the Departments commitment to openness under Freedom of Information. They have been available to anybody willing to access the website since then.

Obesity Clinics (West Midlands)

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many obesity clinics there are in the West Midlands region; and what the waiting times were for those clinics in the latest year for which figures are available.

Stephen Ladyman: There is one national health service obesity clinic and one NHS child obesity clinic in the West Midlands. Both are at Heartlands hospital, part of the Birmingham Heartlands and Solihull NHS Trust.
	Waiting times data for obesity clinics are not held centrally.

Prisons

John Battle: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many prisons in (a) Yorkshire and (b) England and Wales have mental health in-reach teams; and if he will make a statement.

Stephen Ladyman: 13 prison establishments in Yorkshire have mental health in-reach teams and a mental health nurse visits the fourteenth, Askham Grange, on one day a week. Such teams are now in operation at over 100 establishments in England and Wales.

Respiratory Syncytial Virus

John Mann: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment his Department has made of the report of the Health Protection Agency on infection rates for respiratory syncytial virus; and if he will take steps to ensure that a higher priority is given to preventive treatment for the virus in premature babies.

Melanie Johnson: The Department receives weekly updates on respiratory syncytial virus incidence from the Health Protection Agency. Recommendations on the use of paluvizumab were made by the joint committee on vaccination and immunisation at its November 2002 meeting. Details can be found on the Department's website at: www.advisorybodies.doh.gov.uk/icvi/mins01nov02.htm.

Scans (Alliance Medical)

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what representations he has received from NHS bodies on time taken to report (a) scans and (b) incidence of double reporting of scans for a second opinion under the mobile scanning contract with Alliance Medical; what assessment his Department has made of the effect of (a) and (b) on requirements for hospital consultants to undertake follow-up appointments after scans performed by Alliance Medical; and if he will make a statement.

John Hutton: The Department has regular contact with national health service bodies through strategic health authority (SHA) cluster leads. As a result, Alliance Medical Ltd. is ensuring that two qualified radiologists read all scans. This high quality oversight of reading is setting best practice.
	It is the responsibility of local hospital consultants and general practitioners to ensure that the process of follow up appointments is managed effectively and that patients are seen quickly once their scan has been performed.

Treatment Costs

Ian Gibson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the cost to the NHS of treating (a) fractures of all types, (b) multiple sclerosis, (c) cancer, (d) non-melanoma skin cancer and (e) melanoma was in the last year for which figures are available.

John Hutton: With the exception of cancer, this information is not available centrally. The Department's resource accounts shows gross expenditure on cancer in 2003–04 as £3.4 billion.

Variola Virus Research

Tam Dalyell: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to the letter of 6 January from the Minister of State, my right hon. Friend the Member for Barrow and Furness (Mr. Hutton), to the hon. Member for Linlithgow (Mr. Dalyell), on variola virus research, what the outcome was of the meeting of Government Departments to which he refers.

John Hutton: holding answer 24 February 2005
	The meeting is scheduled for 4 March and will be hosted by the Ministry of Defence.

DEFENCE

Afghanistan/Iraq

Annabelle Ewing: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how much of the change in RFR2 Resource relates (a) solely and (b) mainly to peacekeeping in (i) Afghanistan and (ii) Iraq.

Adam Ingram: The amounts included in the MOD's Spring Supplementary Estimates under Request for Resources 2 (Conflict Prevention costs) for Iraq and Afghanistan are as follows:
	
		
			  £ million 
		
		
			 Operations in Iraq 975 
			 Operations in Afghanistan 53 
		
	
	These figures represent a current estimate of the net additional cost of these operations in the current financial year.

Armoured Vehicles

Ann Winterton: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the operational date is of the Panther armoured reconnaissance vehicle.

Adam Ingram: We expect Panther to be introduced into service by November 2007. Panther is not, however, primarily a reconnaissance vehicle. As the original name of the project, the Future Command and Liaison Vehicle, suggests, it will be mainly used for a variety of command and liaison roles.

Bowman System

Nicholas Soames: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when Bowman was first used by British forces in Iraq; and who provided the training for its use.

Adam Ingram: The first radios delivered as part of the Bowman project were Personal Role Radios, which have been in service since January 2002. They were used by combat troops and others in March 2003.
	The first use of Bowman PRC325 High Frequency manpacked patrol radios in Iraq was in December 2004. Training for the operators of the PRC325s was provided by Harris Comms Plc under contract from General Dynamics UK Ltd.

Casualty Treatment Ship

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether he plans to commission the building of a joint casualty treatment ship.

Adam Ingram: The Joint Casualty Treatment Ship programme is currently in its assessment phase. No decision has been made concerning the placement of a contract for demonstration and manufacture.

Chinook Crash

James Arbuthnot: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will place in the Library copies of all memoranda, letters and emails between the Chief of the Air Staff, the Air Officer Commanding No. 1 Group, Air Officer Commander in Chief Strike Command, members of the RAF Directorate of Legal Services, the Inspector of Flight Safety and the President of the Board of Inquiry into the crash of ZD576, between 2 June 1994 and 5 April 1995.

Adam Ingram: The documents requested are being collated from four separate branches within the Ministry of Defence and the files will need to be recovered from archive, which will therefore take some extra time to complete. I will write to the hon. Member and a copy of my letter will be placed in the Library of the House.

Chinook Crash

James Arbuthnot: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether there was a meeting between the Chief of the Air Staff, the Air Officer Commanding No. 1 Group, Air Officer Commander in Chief Strike Command, and the Inspector of Flight Safety to discuss the Board of Inquiry into the crash of ZD576.

Adam Ingram: A search of available records has provided no evidence that a meeting involving all the named officials took place.

Chinook Crash

James Arbuthnot: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence who gave the authorisation for senior anti-terrorist specialists to travel together on the flight in Chinook ZD576, which crashed on 2 June 1994.

Adam Ingram: There was no requirement for specific authorisation to be given in respect of the number of senior personnel to be carried on the flight. However, we know from evidence given to the Board of Inquiry that the flight was carried out under instruction from the Joint Air Tasking Operation Cell.

Chinook Crash

James Arbuthnot: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will place in the Library all special flying instructions that applied to the flight of Chinook ZD576 on 2 June 1994.

Adam Ingram: There were no special flying instructions that applied to the flight of Chinook ZD576.

Cooneen Watts & Stone

Lindsay Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many people Cooneen Watts & Stone employed in (a) December 2003 and (b) December 2004.

Adam Ingram: Cooneen Watts & Stone (CWS) Ltd. was formed in February 2004 from Watts & Stone Ltd. and Cooneen Textiles Ltd., as a Special Purpose Vehicle for the cut and sew garment contract tender process. The number of people employed by CWS is a matter for the company.

Deaths in Service (Northern Ireland)

Kevin McNamara: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assistance he has made available to the Northern Ireland Veterans Association in identifying those who died in the Northern Ireland conflict.

Ivor Caplin: No request has been received from the Northern Ireland Veterans Association for assistance in gathering such information.

Defence Employment (Scotland)

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how much of its personnel budget for financial years (a) 2002–03 and (b) 2003–04 the British Forces Post Office spent in Scotland in (i) monetary terms and (ii) as a percentage of the total personnel budget; and if he will make a statement.

Adam Ingram: Expenditure on personnel specifically based in Scotland by the British Forces Post Office was £136,801.92 in financial year 2002–03 and £145,952.75 in 2003–04, representing 1.1 per cent. of the Agency's total personnel costs in each year. Excluding personnel serving overseas and at the BFPO main sorting office, which is based in London due to the proximity of the MOD HQ and Heathrow and Gatwick airports, personnel based in Scotland accounted for 8.5 per cent. and 8.7 per cent. of the total in each of the years in question.

Defence Export Services Organisation

Michael Meacher: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether the Defence Export Services Organisation has been asked (a) to supply information to and (b) to co-operate with the Serious Fraud Office in respect of its investigation into allegations of bribery and false accounting concerning BAe Systems and Saudi Arabian officials.

Adam Ingram: Details of the existence of any such request or inquiry are properly a matter for the Serious Fraud Office. However, the Defence Export Services Organisation co-operates fully with any requests from authorities investigating allegations of bribery and corruption.

Defence Service Agencies (Scotland)

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many people work for the Defence Storage and Distribution Agency; how many are employed in Scotland; what the personnel costs of the agency are; and what the figures were in 2003–04.

Adam Ingram: The Defence Storage and Distribution Agency currently employs 4,160 people of which 660 work in Scotland. In 2003–04 the numbers were 4,530 and 810 respectively.
	Personnel costs in 2003–04 were £117.2 million and the forecast for this year is £111.6 million.

Departmental Finances

Keith Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will place in the Library copies of quarterly progress reports provided to the Treasury against Spending Review 2002 Public Service Agreement Targets for (a) 2003–04 and (b) the first three quarters of 2004–05.

Adam Ingram: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave him on 22 February 2005, Official Report, columns 599–600W.

DESO

Michael Meacher: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many times in the last 12 months the Defence Export Services Organisation has provided advice to BAe Systems on (a) agents and (b) agents' commission.

Adam Ingram: It is the policy of the Ministry of Defence not to advise companies on agents' commissions. On the selection of agents, if Defence Export Services Organisation (DESO) has information likely to assist United Kingdom companies, our policy is to make this available. Provision of such advice is part of normal DESO business and is not centrally recorded.

Disposal Services Agency

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how much of its personnel budget for financial years (a) 2002–03 and (b) 2003–04 the Disposal Services Agency spent in Scotland (i) in monetary terms and (ii) as a percentage of the total personnel budget; and if he will make a statement.

Adam Ingram: The figures are as follows.
	
		
			   Financial year Personnel costs for DSA staff based in Scotland (£000) Expressed as a percentage of total DSA personnel costs 
		
		
			 2002–03 100 2.8 
			 2003–04 124 3.3

FRES

Nicholas Soames: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when he expects the Future Rapid Effects System to be operational.

Adam Ingram: The Future Rapid Effect System (FRES) is now in its initial Assessment Phase. Studies being carried out during this phase will enable us to define an appropriate In-Service Date (ISD) in both capability and schedule terms for endorsement at Main Gate.
	The ISD will not be formally endorsed until then, but our current planning assumption is that the early variants of FRES will be introduced to service early in the next decade, with a phased approach to achieving full operational capability thereafter.

Gibraltar

Lindsay Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the viability of Gibraltar as a UK base.

Adam Ingram: The Ministry of Defence is fully committed to Gibraltar, its security and its outputs in support of UK military operations. Over the last six months, there has been over a 25 per cent. increase in air and maritime movements.

Helicopters

Nicholas Soames: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence 
	(1)  how many helicopters are in service; and how many he expects will be in service in 2012;
	(2)  how many different types of helicopters are in service with UK armed forces; and what the length of in-service life of each is.

Adam Ingram: The Department currently operates the following types of helicopter:
	
		
			 Helicopter type Fleet size In-service date Planned out of service date 
		
		
			 Attack Helicopter 67 l 2001 2030 
			 Chinook Mk 2 34 1993 2015 
			 Chinook Mk 2a 6 2000 2025 
			 Lynx Mk 7 86 1977 2012 
			 Lynx Mk 9 23 1992 2012 
			 Lynx Mk 3 33 1976 2012 
			 Lynx Mk 8 34 1994 2014 
			 Merlin Mk 1 42 1999 2029 
			 Merlin Mk 3 22 2000 2030 
			 Puma Mk 1 45 1971 2010 
			 Gazelle Mk 1 127 1973 2018 
			 Sea King Mk 3 19 1978 2017 
			 Sea King Mk 3a 6 1996 2017 
			 Sea King Mk 4 37 1979 2012 
			 Sea King Mk 5 16 1981 2017 
			 Sea King Mk 6 4 1988 2006 
			 Sea King Mk 6c 5 2004 2008 
			 Sea King Mk 7 11 2002 2017 
			 Agusta A109 4 1984 2008 
		
	
	(18) Initial Operating Capability declared 28 September 2004. Full Operating Capability due 2007.
	In addition to the aircraft above, the department contracts for a Commercially Owned Military Registered (COMR) fleet of helicopters. These helicopters are on the Military Register and flown by military aircrew, but are owned and maintained by commercial operators.
	
		
			 Helicopter type and location Number Contract let Contract expires 
		
		
			 Bell 412/Shawbury 11 1997 2012 
			 Bell 412/Cyprus 4 2003 2008 
			 Bell 212/Belize 3 2003 2008 
			 Bell 212/Brunei 3 1993 2008 
			 Bell 212/Middle Wallop 1 2004 2007 
			 Dauphin/Plymouth 2 1996 2007 
			 Single Squirrel/Shawbury 27 1997 2012 
			 Single Squirrel/Middle Wallop 10 1997 2012 
			 Twin Squirrel (AS355F)/ Northolt 3 1995 2005 
			 Twin Squirrel (AS355N)/ Northolt(19) 4 2006 2011 
			 Sikorski S61N/Falklands 2 1983 2011 
		
	
	(19) Replacement contract for the AS355Fs based at Northolt.
	Although planned out of service and contract expiry dates have been given, no decisions have yet been taken on the shape of the future helicopter programme, or the individual components within it. We hope to have a clearer idea of the way forward later this year. It is not at this stage possible to say exactly how many helicopters will be in service in 2012.

Hercules Disaster

Gerald Howarth: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether the Defensive Aid Suite on the C130 Hercules lost in Iraq offered protection against medium-range missiles.

Adam Ingram: The Hercules C130K that crashed in Iraq on 30 January had an enhanced defensive capability designed to provide protection against a wide range of missile systems.

Iraq

Alex Salmond: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many trained (a) soldiers and (b) police his Department estimates are available in Iraq; and if he will give (a) the source and (b) methodology used to calculate the figures.

Adam Ingram: holding answer 28 February 2005
	As at 14 February, the Iraqi Ministry of the Interior forces numbered some 79,000 trained and equipped personnel. This includes the Iraqi Police Service and the Department of Border Enforcement forces. The Iraqi Ministry of Defence forces numbered some 57,500 trained and equipped personnel. This includes the Army, Air Force and Coastal Defence Force.
	These figures are collated on a regular basis by the Multinational Security Transition Command—Iraq.

Iraq

Alex Salmond: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what discussions he has had with his US counterparts over their plans to set up 14 permanent military bases in Iraq.

Adam Ingram: holding answer 28 February 2005
	Ministers at the Ministry of Defence are in continuous dialogue with all of our allies, including the United States, on a range of issues. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Defence has had no discussions with his US counterparts on plans to set up permanent military bases in Iraq.

Parliamentary Questions

Michael Meacher: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when he will reply to the Questions tabled by the hon. Member for Oldham, West and Royton on (a) 10 January, reference 207744 and (b) 11 January, reference 207792.

Adam Ingram: I replied to the hon. Member today.

Swan Hunter Contract

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence pursuant to the answer of 9 February 2005, Official Report, column 1515, on the Swan Hunter contract, whether there is legal liability to his Department arising from the unsuccessful bidder referred to; and if he will make a statement.

Adam Ingram: The Ministry of Defence's competitive tendering process was applied equitably in the assessment of each company's bid, against the criteria specified in the Invitation To Tender. In accordance with those criteria the MOD selected the proposals including the design of the ship offered by Swan Hunter. The MOD does not consider that either the selection process or any subsequent variations create a legal liability to the unsuccessful bidders.

Swan Hunter Contract

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence pursuant to the answer of 9 February 2005, Official Report, column 1515W, on the Swan Hunter contract, what role he played in finalising the revised programme costs on 8 December 2004; and if he will make a statement.

Adam Ingram: The revised programme costs were considered and approved by the Minister for Defence Procurement and the Chief Secretary to the Treasury, following approval from the Department's Investment Appraisals Board. The Board considered a Review Note recommendation prepared by departmental officials, outlining the various programme options and costings.

Tornado

Gerald Howarth: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether the funding allocation for the Sky Shadow Defensive Aid System for the Tornado aircraft has been changed.

Adam Ingram: The required level of support for all Electronic Warfare equipment is kept under regular review and funds are allocated accordingly. In the case of the Tornado Skyshadow Defensive Aid System the Operational priorities, as detailed in the Customer Service Agreement between the Defence Logistics Organisation and the Operational Customer, are being met.

Trident

Alex Salmond: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether commanders of UK Trident submarines are empowered to launch a nuclear missile in circumstances other than with the express authority of the Prime Minister.

Geoff Hoon: As my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister made clear in the answer he gave on 28 January 2003, Official Report, column 774W, to the hon. Member for Shrewsbury and Atcham (Mr. Marsden), the use of the United Kingdom's nuclear weapons may be ordered only by the Prime Minister.

Trident

Pete Wishart: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence 
	(1)  what assessment he has made of potential risks arising from (a) an accident and (b) human error in relation to the transportation of nuclear warheads within the naval base on the Clyde;
	(2)  what estimate he has made of potential casualties in the west of Scotland arising from a catastrophic malfunction of a Trident nuclear warhead on a submarine based in the Clyde.

Geoff Hoon: At HM Naval Base Clyde, nuclear warhead handling, storage, transportation and fitting of components is carried out using rigidly controlled and approved procedures, and staff undertaking these activities undergo extensive training before they are designated competent to carry out the work. The potential risks arising from an accident and human error are therefore very low. It is also highly unlikely that a catastrophic malfunction of a nuclear warhead that involved nuclear yield (a high explosion and the release of radioactive material), would occur, whether onboard a submarine or elsewhere within the Naval Base.
	Risks to employees, members of the public and the environment are routinely assessed during preparation of the Hazard Identification and Risk Evaluation (HIRE), which is the responsibility of the local authority and which is a requirement of the Radiation (Emergency Preparedness and Public Information) Regulations 2001 (REPPIR). Such planning is based on a vigorous precautionary approach and the chances of any incident happening, for which the REPPIR emergency plans have been prepared, have been assessed as highly unlikely.

US Defence Department (2006 Budget)

Llew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence for which types of buildings, and at which locations in the United Kingdom, the US Department of Defense has sought financial appropriation in the fiscal year 2006 budget recently published; and whether permission has been granted for the construction of these structures.

Adam Ingram: The US Department of Defense Fiscal Year 2006 budget submission separately identifies funding for: an office complex at RAF Mildenhall; a munitions storage facility and a separate munitions maintenance facility at RAF Lakenheath; and an operations/technical building at RAF Menwith Hill. There is also provision for other potential projects, but none of them are at a stage where internal or external permissions for construction have been sought.

NORTHERN IRELAND

Cancer

Ian Gibson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what policies his Department has in place for supporting employees with cancer.

Ian Pearson: The Northern Ireland Departments and the Northern Ireland Office have a wide range of policies and support mechanisms in place to support staff who are suffering from serious illnesses. These include a generous occupational sick pay scheme, special leave, alternative working patterns and phased return to work arrangements. Reasonable adjustments which could help the individual are considered on a case by case basis. Where medical retirement is appropriate the individual will receive immediate payment of enhanced pension and lump sum.
	All staff have access to the Welfare service and Occupational Health Service for support and advice. Some Departments have also introduced an external counselling service for staff.

Cannabis

Lady Hermon: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what assessment he has made of the impact that the reclassification of cannabis has had in Northern Ireland.

Paul Murphy: The Government conducted a survey of statutory organisations, including the police, together with the community and voluntary sector, in April/May 2004 after the reclassification of cannabis from Class B to Class C to assess the impact of this change.
	While the level of response from the various agencies was disappointing, the general view was that reclassification had had little impact on overall attitudes towards cannabis, both among young people and adults. There was no evidence to suggest that consumption had increased or that adults and young people were more open about their use of cannabis. There was however, a view that young people did not fully understand all the various terminology such as reclassification", de-criminalisation" and legalisation".
	Statistics from PSNI indicate that the number of prosecutions taken against younger people for possession of cannabis ( both actual and pending) has not reduced since reclassification. While separate figures are not kept in relation to adults, there was a small reduction in the number of arrests for possession of Class C drugs, in the three months after reclassification when compared to the three months prior to this change in status.
	As this legislative change took place over 12 months ago officials are currently preparing to undertake a further assessment of the impact.

Coiste na n-larchimi

Roy Beggs: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how much funding was given to the Republican ex-prisoners' umbrella group, Coiste na n-larchimi and its member groups in each of the last eight years.

John Spellar: Records indicate the following amounts have been paid to Coiste na n-larchimi and its member groups in each year since 1998 by the Departments of the Northern Ireland administration and the Northern Ireland Office:
	
		
			 Financial year Amount paid (£) 
		
		
			 1998–99 592,626 
			 1999–2000 1,847,640 
			 2000–01 423,532 
			 2001–02 782,107 
			 2002–03 1,752,873 
			 2003–04 1,207,017 
			 2004–05(20) 553,529 
		
	
	(20) Figures for 2004–05 are from 1 April 2004 to 31 December 2004.
	Information prior to 1 April 1998 was not readily available.

Deaf People (Public Service Delivery)

Lady Hermon: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland who the (a) members and (b) chairman is of the inter-departmental group established to oversee the delivery of public services to deaf and hard of hearing people in Northern Ireland; what the group's terms of reference are; whether the minutes of its meetings are published; and what reports it has published.

Angela Smith: In January 2004, a Sign Language Partnership Group was formed to allow Northern Ireland Government Departments to work with representatives of the Deaf community in Northern Ireland to identify and recommend a course of action to improve respect, understanding and tolerance of British and Irish Sign Languages (BSL and ISL).
	The group is chaired by the Head of Cultural and Language Diversity Policy Branch in the Department of Culture, Arts and Leisure. Other members are from the following organisations:
	The British Deaf Association, Royal National Institute for the Deaf, Council for the Advancement of Communication with Deaf People, Hands that Talk, National Deaf Children's Society, Northern Ireland Deaf Youth Association, Deaf Senior Citizens and all Northern Ireland Government Departments.
	Minutes of meetings are circulated to attendees.
	Reports recommending action (a) to enhance the supply of BSL and ISL interpreters and tutors, in line with demand and (b) to raise awareness of BSL and ISL, have been prepared and approved.

Energy Efficiency

Nigel Dodds: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how much has been spent on (a) the Domestic Energy Efficiency Scheme, (b) fuel poverty pilot projects, (c) the Warm Homes Scheme, (d) the Energy Efficiency Levy Programme, (e) winter fuel payments and (f) cold weather payments in each financial year since 1997–98.

John Spellar: The level of expenditure in each financial year since 1997 on all such schemes is:
	
		£
		
			  The Domestic Energy Efficiency Scheme Fuel Poverty Pilot Projects The Warm Homes Scheme The Energy Efficiency Levy Programme Winter Fuel Payments Cold Weather Payments 
		
		
			 1997–98 2,545,677 0 0 0 5,700,000 0 
			 1998–99 2,582,627 75,000 0 0 5,800,000 0 
			 1999–2000 2,629,238 1,060,000 0 1,003,068 24,000,000 0 
			 2000–01 2,604,302 500,000 0 1,190,132 56,000,000 1,650,000 
			 2001–02 0 800,000 5,200,000 1,433,495 42,000,000 260,000 
			 2002–03 0 500,000 7,952,000 3,043,063 42,700,000 260,000 
			 2003–04 0 480,000 10,650,000 3,938,905 43,000,000 620,000 
			 2004–05(21) 0 279,600 11,850,000 n/a 19,072,100 n/a 
		
	
	(21) The total spend for winter fuel payments and the NIE Energy Efficiency Levy Programme are not yet available for this financial year.

EU Grants

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what recent representations he has received about mismanagement of EU regional development grants; and if he will make a statement.

Ian Pearson: There have been eight representations to Ministers about mismanagement of EU Structural Funds received within the last three months concerning EU Structural Funds Programmes. These representations concerned the decisions taken and procedures followed for the allocation of funding under the EU Programmes. EU funding supports a large number of projects and all such representations are thoroughly investigated and any necessary corrective action taken.

GPs

Martin Smyth: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many requests for general practitioner appointments there were in Northern Ireland in each of the past 15 years; and what the average waiting time for GP appointments was in each year.

Angela Smith: The information requested is not available.

GPs

Martin Smyth: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many general practitioners there are in (a) North, (b) West, (c) East and (d) South Belfast per 10,000 population; and what the spending per capita on general practitioner provision is in the current financial year in each case.

Angela Smith: The information on the number of general practitioners in particular areas of Belfast is as follows:
	
		
			 Belfast locality Number of GPs per 10,000 population 
		
		
			 North Belfast 6.2 
			 West Belfast 5.3 
			 East Belfast 6.5 
			 South Belfast 6.4 
		
	
	The information regarding the spending per capita on general practitioner provision in the current financial year will not be available until after the end of this financial year.

High Hedges

Lady Hermon: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland when he will publish the consultation document on tackling the problems caused by high hedges in Northern Ireland.

Angela Smith: A consultation paper will be published in September 2005 to collect information about the scale of the nuisance high hedge problem in Northern Ireland. This will enable the Department to produce a regulatory impact assessment, and providing it supports a legislative solution, a policy consultation paper will then issue before Christmas seeking views on proposed legislation.

High Hedges

Lady Hermon: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what recent discussions he has had about the extension to Northern Ireland of Part 8 of the Anti-social Behaviour Act 2003 governing nuisance hedges.

Angela Smith: There have been no recent discussions in relation on extending Part 8 of the Anti-social Behaviour Act 2003 to Northern Ireland.

Hospital Travel Costs Scheme

Martin Smyth: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will change the rules of the hospital travel costs scheme in Northern Ireland to enable cancer sufferers to reclaim the costs of travel to hospital.

Angela Smith: Patients who are also in receipt of certain state benefits, or are on a low income, may be entitled to reimbursement of hospital travel costs. Details are given in leaflet HC 11: Are you entitled to help with health costs?"
	The present scheme is directed towards those patients who do not have a medical need for ambulance transport, but who have difficulty meeting the cost of travel to hospital. It is not considered appropriate under such a scheme, which is based on financial need, to differentiate between patients with different medical conditions. The Department has no plans to amend the current hospital travel costs scheme to enable all cancer sufferers, by virtue of their illness, to recover the cost of travel to and from hospital.
	The new cancer centre in Belfast city hospital, which is due to open in 2006, will include a patient hotel with 29 rooms, where cancer patients will be able to stay free of charge. Relatives will also be able to stay for a small fee. This should help reduce the amount of travelling required by some patients during their treatment cycles, with a consequent reduction in costs.

Hospital-acquired Infections

David Lidington: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland on how many occasions at each hospital trust in Northern Ireland in each of the last four years (a) an infection control team has recommended that a ward be closed immediately for cleaning and (b) that recommendation has been rejected; and if he will make a statement.

Angela Smith: The Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety does not collect or record details on hospital wards being closed for cleaning. From information obtained from Trusts there is no evidence of any infection control team's recommendation about closing wards for cleaning being rejected.

Housing

Kevin McNamara: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what action is being taken by the Department for Social Development to ensure that (a) the expenditure for the Housing Executive is clearly defined and prioritised in light of the recommendation of the Committee of Public Accounts and (b) that the Housing Executive undertakes economic appraisals.

John Spellar: The Department for Social Development requires the Northern Ireland Housing Executive to clearly define expenditure priorities for the funding of homelessness services as part of its Homelessness Strategy, as recommended by the Committee of Public Accounts. The Department monitors Housing Executive performance on a regular basis and the specific recommendations of the Committee are reviewed quarterly as part of the accountability arrangements put in place to ensure that effective housing services are delivered.
	With regard to economic appraisals, the Department for Social Development has directed the Housing Executive to carry out economic appraisals in accordance with current guidance, for all relevant investments.

Identity Cards

Andrew MacKinlay: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland whether he expects the implications of the Identity Cards Bill for the common travel area will be tabled for consideration at a future meeting of the British-Irish Governmental Conference; and if he will make a statement.

Paul Murphy: The Irish Government raised this matter at the British-Irish Intergovernmental Conference held in Dublin on 2 March 2005.

Identity Cards

Andrew MacKinlay: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland whether he expects that the implications of the Identity Cards Bill for the common travel area will be tabled for consideration at a future meeting of the British-Irish Council Conference; and if he will make a statement.

Paul Murphy: The British Government have no plans to raise this matter at a future meeting of the British-Irish Council.

Identity Cards

Andrew MacKinlay: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland whether he expects the implications of the Identity Cards Bill for the common travel area and the land border to be tabled for consideration at a future meeting of the North/South Ministerial Council; and if he will make a statement.

Paul Murphy: The North South Ministerial Council cannot meet when Section 1 of the Northern Ireland Act 2000 is in force.

NHS Pension Review

David Trimble: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what progress has been made in the NHS pension review; and if he will make a statement.

Angela Smith: The National Health Services (NHS) Employer's Organisation has been leading a review of the NHS Pension Scheme for England and Wales in partnership with NHS employer and staff side representatives. The Review Partners have produced a consultation document setting out a number of options for a new NHS Scheme. The NHS consultation started on 10 January 2005, and will run for a period of three months.
	The Health and Personal Social Services (HPSS) Superannuation Scheme in Northern Ireland operates on a policy of parity with the NHS Scheme for England and Wales. In view of this the Department of Health, Social Services and Public safety is consulting on the proposals contained in the NHS (England and Wales) consultation document. Consultation in Northern Ireland commenced on 24 January 2005 and will run to 30 April 2005. The Department's HPSS Superannuation Branch is arranging presentations for HPSS management and staff representatives within each HPSS Board area.
	The information contained in responses submitted to the Department will be published in a summary report of responses and will be passed also to colleagues involved in the NHS Pensions Review for England and Wales for consideration in the final decisions to be taken on the scheme.

Operating Theatres

Martin Smyth: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what changes have been initiated within the Department for Health, Social Services and Public Safety following the publication of the 2003 Northern Ireland Audit Office Report on The Use of Operating Theatres.

Angela Smith: Since publication of the Report in April 2003, the Department has required all Trusts to submit six-monthly updates on progress being made towards the implementation of the Report's recommendations. The most recent update indicated that 38 of the 43 recommendations in the Report have been fully implemented, and the other five have been partially implemented.
	A number of changes have been initiated, in particular:
	All Trusts now have a Theatre Manager, Theatre Director, and Theatre Users Committee in place;
	A range of measures has been introduced to improve the planning of theatre sessions;
	A regional Theatre Managers Forum has been established to develop theatre policies and protocols, and share good practice;
	The Department has asked one Trust to take the lead in procuring a new computerised Theatre Management System to be introduced in all Trusts.
	The utilisation of planned theatre sessions in Northern Ireland in 2003–04 increased to 95 per cent., exceeding the recommended target of 90 per cent. in the Bevan Report on the Management and Utilisation of Operating Departments.

Paediatric Gastroenterology Service

Roy Beggs: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what progress has been made in establishing a regional paediatric gastroenterology service for Northern Ireland; and if he will make a statement.

Angela Smith: Until recently this service was provided on an out-patient basis in Belfast by a consultant paediatric gastroenterologist from Birmingham Children's Hospital. This has now ceased and, in the short-term, patients requiring access to a paediatric gastroenterology service are being referred to hospitals in Great Britain.
	The sustainability of vulnerable regional specialties such as paediatric gastroenterology remains a key issue. The Royal Group of Hospitals Health and Social Services Trust has previously attempted to recruit a consultant paediatrician with an interest in gastroenterology, but this has proved unsuccessful.
	The Department is continuing to work with Commissioners and the Royal Group of Hospitals Health and Social Services Trust on how best to provide the service in the long-term and is exploring the possibility of a Service Level Agreement with Birmingham Children's Hospital for the 2005–06 financial year.

Principal Civil Service Pension Scheme

David Lidington: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland when he expects the current full actuarial valuation of the liabilities of the Principal Civil Service Pension Scheme (Northern Ireland) to be completed; and if he will place a statement on the conclusions of that valuation in the Library.

Ian Pearson: At the request of the Department of Finance and Personnel, the Government Actuary carried out an actuarial valuation as at 31 March 2003 of the Principal Civil Service Pension Scheme (Northern Ireland) (PCSPS(NI)).
	A statement on the conclusions of the valuation as at 31 March 2003 has not been placed in the Library however a copy of the yearly resource accounts have been, the latest being as at 31 March 2004. The resource accounts are produced in line with the Financial Reporting Standard 17 (FRS17), the accounting standard for pension scheme liabilities, and contain an actuary report on the liabilities of the PCSPS(NI) as at 31 March 2004.

Protection of Children and Vulnerable Adults Order

Martin Smyth: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what steps the Department of (a) Education, (b) Finance and Personnel, (c) Health Social Services and Public Safety and (d) Culture, Arts and Leisure will take to implement the requirements of accreditation contained in the Protection of Children and Vulnerable Adults Order 2003, in relation to (i) non-departmental public bodies, (ii) next step agencies and (iii) grant funding for children's services.

Angela Smith: The Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety has commissioned the Volunteer Development Agency to develop and pilot a framework of quality standards, which could be used in the accreditation process. The pilot is scheduled to end on 31 March 2005 and findings will be used to inform the Department's view as to how the accreditation agenda should be taken forward. The Department of Health Social Services and Public Safety will consult other Departments and relevant key stakeholders on the way ahead.

Small Businesses

Roy Beggs: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many businesses that employ 60 people or fewer there are in each Northern Ireland constituency; how many people are employed by such small businesses in total; and how many new small businesses have been created in each year since 2000.

Stephen Timms: I have been asked to reply.
	The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician. I have asked him to reply.
	Letter from Len Cook to Mr. Roy Beggs, dated 2 March 2005
	As National Statistician I have been asked to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question concerning the number of businesses that employ 60 people or fewer in each Northern Ireland constituency; how many people are employed by such small businesses in total; and how many new small businesses have been created in each year since 2000. (218310)
	The latest period for which the total number of small businesses is available is March 2004. The data requested are shown in Table 1, which I am placing in the House of Commons Library.
	Further information about the number of businesses in the United Kingdom is available from the National Statistics publication UK Business: Activity, Size and Location—2004" available free of charge on the National Statistics website at: http://www.statistics.gov.uk/pal003
	The numbers of small business creations for each year between 2000 and 2003 are shown in Table 2, which I am placing in the House of Commons Library.
	The figures presented here differ slightly from those published by the Small Business Service (SBS), as adjustments for birth lags have been applied only to the published data.
	For further information on business start-ups please see the National Statistics publication VAT Registrations and De-registrations: Business Start-ups and Closures" available free of charge on the SBS website at: http://www.sbs.gov.uk/statistics/vatstats.php
	All figures have been rounded to the nearest five to avoid disclosure. This means that totals may not necessarily equal the sum of the data in columns, and counts of less than three will be shown as zero. Where counts and employment are released, all figures based on a count of less than 20 must have employment estimates replaced with an asterisk and other employment estimates must be suppressed to ensure that there is no disclosure by difference.
	The employment data relate mainly to the 2001 Census of Employment updated for more recent creations and closures.

DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER

Congestion Charge

George Osborne: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how much has been spent on congestion (a) charges and (b) penalty charge notices by the Department since the commencement of the congestion charging scheme.

Yvette Cooper: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given by my hon. Friend the Minister of the Cabinet Office on 28 February 2005, Official Report, column 957W, which detailed congestion charges and penalty charges incurred by vehicles provided to all Government Departments by the Government Car and Despatch Agency.
	In addition to the costs covered by that answer, the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister has spent a total of £1,425 (this does not include the Government Offices for the Regions which perform functions on behalf of 10 Government Departments) on the congestion charge since its introduction.
	Civil servants are personally responsible for meeting the cost of the congestion charge and any penalty charges incurred. Congestion charges incurred by civil servants in the necessary conduct of their business are reimbursed by the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister.

Departmental Policies (Folkestone)

Chris Smith: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister if he will set out, with statistical information relating as directly as possible to Folkstone and Hythe constituency, the effects on Folkestone and Hythe of his Department's policies and actions since 2 May 1997.

Yvette Cooper: Along with other Government Departments, the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister is committed to improving the lives of people across the whole of the UK. For example, the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister is determined that everyone should have the opportunity to have a decent home, and since 1997 we have reduced the number of non-decent homes nationally by one million.
	The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister provides grant funding that benefits the Folkstone and Hythe constituency through a number of programmes.
	More broadly, since 1997 the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister has been able to increase the total amount of government grant given to local authorities by £22.6 billion. This is a 33 per cent. increase in real terms. Shepway district council has received average annual increases in formula grant since 1997 of 2.7 per cent. Residents of Folkestone and Hythe have also benefited from Kent county council's average annual increase in grant of 4.8 per cent.
	The Neighbourhood Statistics Service provides a wide range of statistical information at Parliamentary constituency level, taken from the 2001 Census and other sources. This service is available on the National Statistics website at: http://neighbourhood.statistics. gov.uk/.

Disabled Facilities Grant

Gregory Barker: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister 
	(1)  when the report from the Disabled Facilities Grant Review Group will be made available to the House; and which Government Departments are involved in the review;
	(2)  whether he expects that the Strategy Unit's recent recommendation that the disabled facilities grant for disabled children should be reformed will be implemented by the end of the year;
	(3)  what percentage of disabled facilities grants are allocated to families with (a) disabled children, (b) disabled adults and (c) pensioners;
	(4)  what assessment he has made of the likely impact of the working tax credit on the calculations for the disabled facilities grant means test for families with disabled children; and if he will make a statement.

Yvette Cooper: The work of the Disabled Facilities Grant (DFG) review group is due to be completed in May. The Government will publish and make available in the Library of the House a consultation document on any proposals for change as soon as possible after this date. The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister, the Department for Education and Skills and the Department of Health are represented on the review group. The consultation document will include proposals for what, if any, changes should be made to the means test for disabled facilities grant.
	Central records of the type of applicants for DFG by age are not kept by the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister. The latest published evaluation of the DFG system was undertaken by PIED A in 1996. This showed that 5 per cent. of DFG approvals related to disabled children under 18 and 70 per cent. where from disabled persons over the age of 60.
	Apart from a disregard in relation to the 30 hour element of working tax credit, this credit is counted as income for the purposes of the DFG means test. This follows the procedures for eligibility for housing benefit and council tax benefit on which the DFG means test is based. The review of DFG is considering the DFG means test and the implications of any changes for the public sector cost of the DFG system will be fully considered.

Fire Service

Michael Clapham: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister whether the guidance contained in Fire Service Circular No3/1995 has been (a) withdrawn and (b) replaced.

Nick Raynsford: The guidance has neither been withdrawn nor replaced.

Fire Service

Michael Clapham: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister pursuant to his answer of 27 January, Official Report, columns 462–63W, on the fire service, how many applications for new fire certificates in each brigade requested between 1999 and 2004 remain outstanding; what assessment he has made of the guidance issued by the Chief Fire Officers' Association to fire and rescue authorities regarding the processing of applications for fire certificates; and whether the guidance is publicly available.

Nick Raynsford: The numbers of valid applications for fire certificates, and the number of applications outstanding at the end of each of the years requested, is given in Table 1 for England and Wales. Data on the age of outstanding applications is not collected centrally. However, average times taken to issue of fire certificates in England and Wales for the last year for which figures are available are given in Table 2.
	The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister reviewed the guidance promulgated to fire and rescue authorities by the Chief Fire Officers' Association (CFOA) and made the assessment that it was consistent with the legal obligations of fire and rescue authorities and others concerned.
	CFOA are arranging for the guidance to be placed on a publicly available part of the CFOA website as soon as possible. Meanwhile copies of the CFOA guidance circular have been made available in the Library of the House.
	
		Table 1
		
			 1 April to 31 March Valid applications received Outstanding applications at end of year 
		
		
			 1999–2000 4,932 1,650 
			 2000–01 4,897 1,414 
			 2001–02 4,920 1,348 
			 2002–03 4,224 1,216 
			 2003–04 3,361 1,240 
		
	
	
		Table 2
		
			 BV 14— average time taken by fire authorities to issue fire safety certificates 
			  Number of certificates issued Number of days to issue certificates Average time in days 
			  2002–03 2002–03 2002–03 2001–02 2000–01 
		
		
			 Shropshire 17 119 7 11 11 
			 Cheshire 34 551 16 34 31 
			 Merseyside 22 480 22 52 16 
			 Staffordshire 34 760 22 19 18 
			 Mid and West Wales 50 1,211 24 25 27 
			 Gloucestershire 129 3,574 28 21 18 
			 Derby shire 40 1,229 31 73 62 
			 Dorset 63 2,006 32 44 44 
			 Warwickshire 25 822 33 27 63 
			 Tyne and Wear 48 1,609 34 52 65 
			 West Yorkshire 51 1,842 36 70 54 
			 Humberside 65 2,353 36 39 32 
			 Lincolnshire 5 188 38 37 93 
			 South Yorkshire 46 1,890 41 59 68 
			 Hereford and Worcester 25 1,086 43 82 104 
			 Buckinghamshire 47 2,119 45 82 86 
			 Kent 66 3,018 46 66 53 
			 Cumbria 28 1,316 47 105 80 
			 Essex 99 4,752 48 n/a 143 
			 East Sussex 22 1,120 51 51 51 
			 Cleveland 18 957 53 46 67 
			 Northumberland 6 319 53 25 58 
			 Upper quartile boundary1  
			 Devon 41 2,240 55 84 66 
			 Somerset 14 839 60 160 14 
			 Norfolk 25 1,542 62 30 161 
			 Bedfordshire and Luton 15 985 66 65 63 
			 Suffolk 9 607 67 67 46 
			 Nottinghamshire 22 1,520 69 92 77 
			 North Yorkshire 54 4,093 76 148 60 
			 Lancashire 32 2,474 77 74 131 
			 Cornwall 37 3,143 85 92 97 
			 North Wales 19 1,614 85 84 55 
			 Isle Of Wight 3 255 85 37 76 
			 Cambridgeshire 44 4,084 93 148 74 
			 County Durham and Darlington 18 1,782 99 123 87 
			 West Midlands 71 7,191 101 98 92 
			 Northamptonshire 17 1,748 103 85 145 
			 Royal Berkshire 52 5,470 105 97 106 
			 West Sussex 58 6,641 115 165 175 
			 South Wales 63 7,299 116 55 90 
			 Leicestershire 12 1,392 116 181 136 
			 Hertfordshire 65 7,735 119 209 122 
			 Hampshire 100 12,891 129 86 53 
			 Greater Manchester 108 14,578 135 131 99 
			 Wiltshire 29 4,232 146 103 n/a 
			 Oxfordshire 26 4,456 171 210 77 
			 Surrey 26 5,434 209 136 125 
			 London 226 48,364 214 208 152 
			 Avon 18 5,687 316 214 68 
		
	
	n/a = not available.
	(22) The upper quartile boundary is set at 53 using 2000–01 as the base date.

Fire Service Emergency Response

Iain Wright: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what the average response time of the fire service to 999 calls was in (a) Hartlepool and (b) England and Wales in each year since 1997.

Nick Raynsford: The available information covers fire and rescue service response to primary fires (involving property, casualties or rescues) in England and Wales and Cleveland. Details of response times on other incidents attended by the fire and rescue service are not available centrally, and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.Response times for primary fires are collected at fire and rescue authority level, so separate information covering Hartlepool is not available centrally, and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
	
		Average fire and rescue service response times (primary fires) 1997–2003 
		
			  Minutes 
			  England and Wales Cleveland 
		
		
			 1997 6.1 4.9 
			 1998 5.9 4.7 
			 1999 6.2 4.9 
			 2000 6.3 4.9 
			 2001 6.3 4.9 
			 2002(23) 6.4 5.2 
			 2003(23)(5507460024) 6.6 5.1 
		
	
	(23) Excludes strike periods, November 2002 and January and February 2003.
	(24) Provisional figure.
	Source:
	Fire and Rescue Service FDR1 returns to ODPM.

Housing

Oona King: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister whether local authorities will be allowed to use capital receipts generated from right to buy sales after 1 April 2006 to fund investment in new social housing.

Keith Hill: Under the present regime governing the treatment of capital receipts arising from right to buy sales, all local housing authorities may use 25 per cent. of the receipt for any capital purpose they see fit, including investment in new social housing.
	At present, there are no plans to change this regime.

Housing

Oona King: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister whether local authorities will be allowed to use capital receipts generated from right to buy sales between 1 April 2003 and 31 March 2006 to fund investment in new social housing through any mechanism other than transitional local authority social housing grant.

Keith Hill: Under the regime governing the treatment of capital receipts arising from right to buy sales in financial year 2003–04, with-debt authorities could use 25 per cent. of the receipt and debt-free authorities 100 per cent. of the receipt, for any capital purpose they saw fit, not necessarily housing related.
	Under the present regime, introduced on 1 April 2004, governing the treatment of capital receipts arising from right to buy sales, all local housing authorities may use 25 per cent. of the receipt for any capital purpose they see fit, including investment in new social housing.

Housing

Lindsay Hoyle: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister when he expects the North West Housing Board to make a decision on affordable housing in South Lancashire.

Keith Hill: The North West Regional Housing Board will submit its proposed regional housing strategy, setting out its views on the region's housing priorities, in May 2005. Ministers will make decisions on the allocation of funds for housing investment in 2006–07 and 2007–08 in the light of these recommendations. Detailed allocations to registered social landlords, which will be subject to the usual competitive bidding process, and to local authorities will be announced around the end of the year.

Meden Valley Partnership

John Mann: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister 
	(1)  what discussions have taken place between the Meden Valley partnership and (a) Nottinghamshire Mental Health Trust and (b) Mansfield primary care trust about stress-related health problems due to delays in regenerating housing in the Meden Valley;
	(2)  what provision English Partnerships and the East Midlands Development Agency are making for residents who refuse to move and who are not offered refurbished accommodation or low-cost home ownership on completion of the Meden Valley partnership project;
	(3)  whether he expects the guarantee given by his Department, the East Midlands Development Agency and English Partnerships that residents will be able to remain in the Royal Estate and Warsop Vale under the Meden Valley partnership housing regeneration programme to be maintained;
	(4)  what legal opinion has been sought by English Partnerships in relation to compulsory purchase of properties in the Meden Valley;
	(5)  how many repairs orders due to public safety have been issued through the Meden Valley Partnership;
	(6)  how many residents have neither requested to move nor opposed compulsory purchase of their home under the Meden Valley Partnership; and how many of these are over 80 years old;
	(7)  how many residents of the Royal Estate and Warsop Vale have indicated a wish to remain living in their area under the Meden Valley partnership;
	(8)  what meetings have taken place between the Meden Valley partnership and the police about drug dealing and antisocial behaviour in the last two years;
	(9)  how many letters of thanks have been received by the Meden Valley partnership from local residents since its inception;
	(10)  when English Partnerships expects to build new houses in Warsop as part of the Meden Valley partnership;
	(11)  what plans English Partnerships has to meet its commitment to involve residents in the management of housing regeneration projects in Warsop;
	(12)  when and under what authority English Partnerships required means testing for existing tenants to buy new homes in Warsop under the Meden Valley partnership;
	(13)  how much public money has been spent through the Meden Valley partnership;
	(14)  how many homes have been refurbished under the Meden Valley partnership;
	(15)  when an employee of the East Midland Development Agency last entered (a) a house and (b) an area under threat of compulsory purchase from the Meden Valley partnership;
	(16)  when an employee of English Partnerships last entered (a) a house and (b) an area under threat of compulsory purchase from the Meden Valley partnership.

Keith Hill: Substantive answer from Keith Hill to John Mann
	I promised to write to you in answer to your parliamentary questions regarding the Meden Valley Partnership when my Department had looked closely at the issues you raised.
	On the important issue of improving communication with residents affected by proposals, you will be pleased to hear that the Meden Valley Board intend to appoint a Community Participation Officer to assist with the consultation process, and that in the short-term Leicester Housing Association will provide a secondee to the project. The Meden Valley Board has also confirmed that it will seek to hold monthly meetings with you, if agreeable, to address the concerns raised by your constituents, and the Community Participation Officer will be involved with these meetings. I hope that you will be able to work closely with this officer who will service the Residents Implementation Groups, which I understand you have played a role in forming through chairing the well-attended public meetings in Warsop Vale and on the Royal Estate. The Community Participation Officer will also help to develop an effective communication strategy with residents affected by the scheme.
	I understand that Meden Valley Making Places Ltd are making good progress on the negotiated acquisition of properties, but I can understand the frustration some residents must feel about the length of time to complete the Compulsory Purchase Order process. To mitigate the negative impact of abandonment, Meden Valley Making Places Ltd is prioritising joint working with the Police and Community Safety Officers to help minimise problems for residents who wish to stay.
	On the issue of alternative accommodation, I would support the Meden Valley Making Places Ltd's commitment to assisting homeowners and tenants, affected b redevelopment, to secure alternative accommodation on a like for like basis. I am sure that you would agree with this policy. The various options available to residents can be discussed with either Sarah Streater or Shamus O'Leary (Tel: 01623–847675) at Meden Valley Making Places Ltd.
	I hope that you feel we are moving forward in Meden Valley and driving forward the Government commitment to developing sustainable communities.

Neighbourhood Management Pathfinders

John Cummings: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister if he will make a statement on the progress of neighbourhood management pathfinders and their future funding allocations.

Keith Hill: Funding was made available to 20 round one neighbourhood management pathfinder schemes from 2001–02 and to 15 round two schemes from 2003–04.
	Round one schemes have made good progress on working towards mainstreaming interventions and working with service providers so that their services better meet the needs of the local community. Round two pathfinders have successfully submitted their delivery plans and have completed the first stage of implementation. The 2004 National Evaluation says there is evidence of the Pathfinder programme making a real change to people's lives.
	Funding for each round of the programme is for seven years with £77.6 million available to round one schemes and £44.4 million available to round two schemes over the life of the programme. The announcement for funding allocations for 2005–06 will be made in the near future.

Pendle

Gordon Prentice: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister if he will set out, with statistical information relating as directly as possible to Pendle constituency, the effects on Pendle of his Department's policies and activities since 2nd May 1997.

Yvette Cooper: Along with other Government Departments, the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister is committed to improving the lives of people across the whole of the UK. For example, the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister is determined that everyone should have the opportunity to have a decent home, and since 1997 we have reduced the number of non-decent homes nationally by one million.
	The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister provides grant funding that benefits the Pendle constituency through a number of programmes.
	For example over the period 2001–06 Pendle has been allocated £8.3 million Neighbourhood Renewal Fund (NRF) resources to help the local authority, in collaboration with the Local Strategic Partnership, improve services in the most deprived neighbourhoods in the area.
	More broadly, since 1997 the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister has been able to increase the total amount of government grant given to local authorities by £22.6 billion. This is a 33 per cent. increase in real terms. Pendle council has received an average annual increase in formula grant since 1997 of 6.0 per cent. Residents of Pendle have also benefited from Lancashire county council's average annual increase in grant of 4.4 per cent.
	The Neighbourhood Statistics Service provides a wide range of statistical information at Parliamentary constituency level, taken from the 2001 Census and other sources. This service is available on the National Statistics website at: http://neighbourhood.statistics. gov.uk/.

Right to Buy

Martin Linton: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how many council homes have been sold under the right to buy in Wandsworth since 1990.

Keith Hill: The local authority has reported 4,276 sales of council dwellings under the right to buy and rent to mortgage schemes in Wandsworth between 1990–91 and 2003–04.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

European Constitution

Kate Hoey: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what reasoning underlay the decision to describe the treaty establishing a constitution for Europe as the treaty establishing a constitution for the European Union in the question that will be used for the referendum on the constitution.

Christopher Leslie: I have been asked to reply.
	The treaty binds only its signatories, that is, members of the European Union, and not every state geographically in Europe. Although the treaty is said to establish a Constitution for Europe" it is clear from the very first article that this Constitution establishes the European Union ... ". Referring in the question to the Constitution for the European Union" is likely to be more intelligible to the voter since it reflects more accurately what he or she is being asked to approve.
	The Electoral Commission commented in its assessment of the question on 3 February 2005 that the modification of the title of the treaty in the question does not detract from its overall intelligibility.

Falkland Islands

Vera Baird: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what the date is of the next meeting between officials representing the UK and Argentine Governments to discuss charter flights to the Falkland Islands for the purposes of cruise ship passenger transfers.

Bill Rammell: There are no meetings scheduled between the UK and Argentine Governments to discuss the issue of charter flights. The situation on this issue remains unchanged from that given in my statement on 18 November 2004, Official Report, column 1782W to the hon. Member for Boston and Skegness (Mr. Simmonds).

Firecrest

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the cost of his Department's new Firecrest contract, with Hewlett-Packard, signed on 16 February.

Bill Rammell: The seven year deal, the largest contract the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) has ever signed, will see Hewlett-Packard take on overall responsibility for the FCO's business critical IT infrastructure in partnership with in-house IT providers FCO Services, original developers of the Firecrest" system. The total cost of the contract over seven years is currently estimated at £320 million based on a contract with Hewlett-Packard UK worth approximately £180 million and FCO internal costs of £140 million, including FCO Services' charges.

Iran/Iraq

Mark Simmonds: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment his Department has made of relations between the Iranian regime and the (a) Supreme Council for the Islamic Revolution in Iraq, (b) United Iraqi Alliance and (c) Iraqi National Congress.

Bill Rammell: We maintain a close dialogue on Iraq with the Iranian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and others in the Iranian Government. The Iranian authorities have a well-known friendship with many of the Shia groups, including the Supreme Council for the Islamic Revolution in Iraq and other component members of the United Iraqi Coalition. They also have good relations with non-Shia groups, including among the Kurdish parties. Iran has stated that it will co-operate with the future Iraqi Government, regardless of its religious preferences.

Iraq

Jim Cousins: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many contracts for the supply of security and surveillance services and equipment from the private sector have been placed by the UK Government and its agencies in Iraq, broken down by base country of the contracting company; and what the total value of such contracts is.

Bill Rammell: The Foreign and Commonwealth Office currently has four contracts with two British private sector companies for the provision of security services in Iraq. The annual value of these contracts is approximately £50 million.
	I will write to my hon. Friend with details of any other contracts placed by other UK Government Departments and its agencies in Iraq. I will place a copy of my letter in the Library of the House.

Iraq

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has had with his EU counterparts regarding the war in Iraq over the last six months.

Bill Rammell: Over the last six months, my right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary has had continuous discussions on Iraq with his European Union (EU) colleagues. This dialogue has taken place regularly at the monthly EU Foreign Ministerials, in bilateral meetings and in other fora.

Iraq

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many people have been registered to vote in northern Iraq (a) in numbers, (b) as a percentage of the population of the Kurdish area of Iraq, (c) as a percentage of eligible voters in Iraq and (d) as a percentage of all registered voters in Iraq; and if he will make a statement.

Bill Rammell: In the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) area, 2,124,181 were registered to vote. This represents an estimated 61 per cent. of the population within the KRG. This figure is 25 per cent. of the overall registered voters in Iraq. In addition a further 280,000 Iraqis registered to vote outside of Iraq. Figures on the number of people who are eligible to vote but not registered are not known. However, a comprehensive registration exercise was carried out in the six week period from 1 November to 15 December.

Nepal

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment his Department has made of the political situation in Nepal and its development since January 2004; and if he will make a statement.

Douglas Alexander: We are deeply concerned by the current political situation in Nepal. The King's recent move to assume direct control of the country is a backward step for democracy. Following the royal takeover I summoned the Nepalese ambassador to express our grave concern and released a public statement in which I said that his action would increase the risk of instability in Nepal and undermine the institutions of democracy and constitutional monarchy in the country. I also called for the immediate restitution of multi-party democracy. A copy of my statement is available on the Foreign and Commonwealth Office website www.fco.gov.uk/policy/news/press-releases.
	Immediately after the takeover of power by the King the EU presidency issued a statement on behalf of the EU which expressed our concerns about restrictions on liberty and calling for human rights to be respected. Our ambassador in Kathmandu raised these issues directly with the King in an audience on 8 February. With other EU member states' ambassadors he also raised them with the new Nepalese Foreign Minister on 7 February.
	On 14 February my right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary recalled our ambassador in Nepal to London for consultations. Following those consultations with our ambassador and other key international partners we decided to withdraw the proposal, laid before Parliament in a minute of 20 January 2005, for a further tranche of military assistance to Nepal.

Nepal

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations (a) he, (b) members of his Department and (c) representatives of the UK Government have made to (i) members of the royal family of Nepal and (ii) representatives of the Government of Nepal regarding King Gyanendra's declaration of a state of emergency on 1 February; and if he will make a statement.

Douglas Alexander: Following the takeover of power by the King I summoned the Nepalese ambassador on 1 February to express our grave concern at developments. I also issued a public statement on 1 February in which I set out our concern that his actions would increase the risk of instability in Nepal and undermine the institutions of democracy and constitutional monarchy in the country. In that statement I called for the immediate restitution of multi-party democracy. A copy of my statement is available on the Foreign and Commonwealth Office website www.fco.gov.uk/policy/news/press-releases.
	Immediately after the takeover of power by the king the EU presidency issued a statement on behalf of the EU which explained our concerns about restrictions on liberty and calling for human rights to be respected. Our ambassador in Kathmandu raised these issues directly with the King in an audience on 8 February. With other EU member states' ambassadors he also raised them with the new Nepalese Foreign Minister on 7 February.
	On 14 February my right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary recalled our ambassador in Nepal to London for consultations. Following those consultations with our ambassador and other key international partners we decided to withdraw the proposal, laid before Parliament in a minute of 20 January 2005, for a further tranche of military assistance to Nepal.

Nepal

Clare Short: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has made to (a) seek the release and (b) secure the protection of (i) political leaders and (ii) human rights activists following recent actions by King Gyanendra in Nepal; and if he will make a statement.

Douglas Alexander: Immediately after the takeover of power by the King we issued a statement with our EU partners which expressed our grave concerns about restrictions on liberty and calling for human rights to be respected. Our ambassador in Kathmandu raised these issues directly with the King in an audience on 8 February. With other EU member states' ambassadors he also raised them with the new Nepalese Foreign Minister on 7 February.
	Because of media and other restrictions we may not be aware of all those arrested or detained, especially outside Kathmandu. Human rights sources have identified some 270 individuals who are still detained, including students, political activists, journalists and academics.
	We are keeping the situation on the various restrictions on liberty in place in Nepal under review. We intend that our ambassador should again raise our concerns about restrictions on civil rights in his next audience with the King.

Nepal

Clare Short: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps he has taken to seek to secure the independence and integrity of the Nepali National Human Rights Commission and ensure the protection of its premises and documents; and if he will make a statement.

Douglas Alexander: The UK has been a committed supporter of the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) in Nepal, whose activities we have part funded, in particular by providing for technical assistance on human rights monitoring. The tenure of the current Commission expires in April and the absence of Parliament will make the appointment of new commissioners problematic. We are particularly concerned about the future independence and integrity of the NHRC following the King's takeover of power on 1 February. Our ambassador has raised our concerns with the new Foreign Minister and we will be considering with international partners how best to press for the continuing independence and integrity of the NHRC.
	Immediately after the takeover of power by the King we issued a statement with our EU partners which expressed our grave concerns about restrictions on liberty and calling for human rights to be respected. Our ambassador in Kathmandu raised these issues directly with the King in an audience on 8 February. With other EU member states' ambassadors he also raised them with the new Nepalese Foreign Minister on 7 February.

Nepal

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions (a) he, (b) officials in his Department and (c) representatives of the UK Government have had with members and representatives of the Government of (i) India, (ii) China and (iii) Bhutan regarding the current situation in Nepal; and if he will make a statement.

Douglas Alexander: My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary discussed the situation in Nepal during his recent visit to India. Senior officials have also had a number of discussions with Indian officials about the situation in Nepal. Officials have also discussed the situation in Nepal with the Government of China. We have so far had no discussions with the Government of Bhutan regarding recent developments in Nepal.

Nepal

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment his Department has made of (a) the number of civilian and military casualties of the Maoist revolt in Nepal per annum since 1997, (b) the social and economic impact of the Maoist revolt in Nepal and (c) the measures undertaken by the Government of Nepal to address the Maoist revolt since 1997; and if he will make a statement.

Douglas Alexander: It is very hard to give precise figures for the number of casualties caused by the Maoist insurgency in Nepal. We do not have figures of casualties going back to 1997 on an annual basis.
	The social impact of the conflict has been very considerable. Maoist violence, especially in the villages and towns outside the district capitals, has caused widespread fear among the locals. It has caused major disruption to key services, including education and health. Many schools have been forced to close and many locals have been forced to flee their homes to avoid being attacked by the Maoists or forcibly recruited into their ranks. Many thousands of people have been displaced, many are homeless and without access to basic amenities. The security forces' failure consistently to respect human rights has compounded the situation. The conflict has further damaged the social fabric by increasing ethnic divisions and reducing the rule of law in the rural areas.
	The conflict has also done great damage to the Nepalese national economy, which has become one of the prime Maoist targets. The Maoists regularly extort money from local businesses and industries and prevent businesses from running normally. They enforce frequent strikes (bandhs) and seek to prevent the free movement of goods. Hundreds of companies have been forced to close. The Maoists have also attacked the tourism industry infrastructure, so damaging a key contribution to the Nepalese economy. Unemployment is now a serious problem.
	The Government of Nepal have employed a mixture of military and diplomatic measures since 1997 to combat Maoist activity and bring about a successful resolution of the conflict. There have been two rounds of negotiations, in 2001 and 2003, both of which broke down.
	We continue to advocate the need for an inclusive peace process, involving all of the constitutional forces. We consider that this offers the only way to resolve the conflict in a manner which will lead to a stable Nepal based on a multi party democracy, good government and respect for human rights.

Nepal

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions (a) he, (b) officials in his Department and (c) representatives of the UK Government have had with members and representatives of the Government of Nepal concerning (i) civil rights and (ii) freedom of speech in Nepal since 1 February; and if he will make a statement.

Douglas Alexander: Following the King of Nepal's assumption of power on 1 February I summoned the Nepalese ambassador to express the UK's grave concern about his actions. In a statement afterwards I set out our real concern at the King's dismissal of his Prime Minister, and warned that his action would increase the risk of instability in Nepal and undermine the institutions of democracy and constitutional monarchy. I called for the immediate restitution of multi-party democracy in Nepal. A copy of my statement is available on the Foreign and Commonwealth Office website www.fco.gov.uk/policy/news/press-releases.
	Our ambassador met with the King on 8 February. During this meeting he conveyed to the King the UK's strong concern about the damage the King's actions had done to democracy in Nepal, and about the state of emergency in Nepal, including the continuing suspension of civil liberties, the detention of politicians and the strict media censorship since the palace coup of 1 February. Our ambassador also conveyed our concerns to the new Nepalese Foreign Minister in a meeting on 7 February.
	Such is our concern about the King's takeover of power that on 14 February my right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary recalled our ambassador in Nepal to London for consultations. Following those consultations with our ambassador and other key international partners we decided to withdraw the proposal, laid before Parliament in a minute of 20 January 2005, for a further tranche of military assistance to Nepal. We intend that our ambassador should again raise our concerns about restrictions on civil rights in Nepal in his next audience with the King.

Nepal

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent assessment his Department has made of the political situation in Nepal.

Douglas Alexander: The UK is deeply concerned by the current political situation in Nepal. We believe that the King's recent move to dismiss the Prime Minister and assume power outside the framework of a multi party democratic system is likely to put back the prospects of a negotiated settlement. Immediately following the King's takeover of power on 1 February I issued a statement in which I said that this action would increase the risk of instability in Nepal and undermine the institutions of democracy and constitutional monarchy in the country. A copy of the statement is available on the Foreign and Commonwealth Office's website www.fco.gov.uk/policy/news/press-releases. Such is the level of our concern that my right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary temporarily recalled our Ambassador in Kathmandu for consultations on 14 February.
	The UK has consistently held the view that there can be no military resolution and that a negotiated political settlement involving all parties offers the best way to resolve the ongoing conflict and to create a stable democracy with good governance and respect for human rights. We will continue to press all parties for an early return to negotiations.

Nepal

David Stewart: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent discussions he has had regarding (a) the current situation in Nepal and (b) the safety of British non-governmental organisations in the area; and if he will make a statement.

Douglas Alexander: We have held discussions about the current situation in Nepal with both the Nepalese authorities and our international partners. Following the King's takeover of power on 1 February I summoned the Nepalese Ambassador to convey our grave concerns. Our Ambassador in Nepal also had an audience with the King to convey the same message. On 14 February my right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary recalled our Ambassador to Nepal for consultations, in step with similar action by the US, EU, Indians and others. The Foreign Secretary held discussions on Nepal with his Indian counterparts during his recent visit to India and we have also discussed Nepal with other international parties at official level.
	The Government take any threat to the safety of United Kingdom nationals in Nepal, as elsewhere, very seriously. The British embassy in Nepal has been in close contact with British NGOs since the early days of the Maoist insurgency and offers regular briefings on security to new arrivals as well as making provision for assistance in times of emergency through a system of local volunteer wardens in which representatives of British NGOs take part.

Syria

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment his Department has made of US accusations of Syrian involvement in (a) terrorism and (b) insurgency in Iraq; and if he will make a statement.

Bill Rammell: We share the US concerns about terrorism in the region and the insurgency in Iraq. We have made clear to Syria that we expect them to play a constructive role in tackling both of these issues.
	In this context we welcome the steps Syria and Iraq have taken to strengthen their co-operation, including the handing over of Sabawi Ibrahim al-Hassan to Iraq. We encourage them to continue to develop such co-operation.
	We have repeatedly told Syria that she must address the problems created by Palestinian rejectionist groups. Closure of their offices in Damascus is a step in the right direction but Syria must exercise her influence over these groups in a positive manner.

Syria

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment his Department has made of (a) the Syrian Accountability Act and (b) the US Administration's use of the Syrian Accountability Act since November 2003; and if he will make a statement.

Bill Rammell: We assess that in the short-term the impact of the Syrian Accountability Act on Syria will be limited. The use of the Accountability Act is a matter for the US. We regularly discuss with the US Administration our concerns about Syria on a number of issues.

Syria

James Clappison: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what his most recent assessment is of the policy of Syria towards (a) Iraq, (b) the Lebanon and (c) terrorism; and if he will make a statement on UK relations with Syria.

Bill Rammell: We have a continuing dialogue with Syria on a number of issues, including Syrian support for the Iraqi Transitional Government; the policing of the Syria-Iraq border; improving security in Iraq; implementation of United Nations Security Council Resolution 1559; and support for Palestinian rejectionist groups such as Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad.
	We encourage Syria to strengthen its support for Iraq. Syria knows that helping to improve security in Iraq will benefit not only the Iraqi people but also the wider region.
	Syria is aware that we are seeking full compliance with the demands of Security Council Resolution 1559 and we look forward to discussing with our Security Council Partners in April the UN Secretary-General's report on progress. We welcome the UN Secretary-General's announcement of an investigation into the bombing in Beirut on 14 February, which killed 15 people including former Prime Minister Hariri. My noble Friend the Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean visited Lebanon, 24–25 February, to offer the condolences of HMG on the death of Mr. Hariri and the other victims.
	We have repeatedly told Syria that she must address the problems created by rejectionist groups. Closure of their offices in Damascus is a step in the right direction but Syria must exercise her influence over these groups in a positive manner.

Uganda

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has made to the Ugandan authorities regarding plans by President Museveni to amend the constitution in order to grant himself an indefinite term in office.

Chris Mullin: I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave to the hon. Member for Boston and Skegness (Mr. Simmonds) on 22 February 2005, Official Report, column 590W.

Uganda

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will provide capacity-building assistance to the Forum for Democratic Change in Uganda.

Chris Mullin: The Foreign and Commonwealth Office is currently funding a project to help build capacity in all Uganda's major political parties as they prepare for the 2006 elections. This includes the Forum for Democratic Change. The project provides small group training focusing on professional skills development for parties. We will seek opportunities to build on this with further cross-party support over the coming year.

Uganda

Mark Simmonds: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he has made representations to the Ugandan Government regarding the plans by President Museveni to amend the constitution in order to secure an indefinite term in office.

Chris Mullin: I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave to him on 22 February 2005, Official Report, column 590W.

Western Sahara

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the Council of Europe's support for the Baker Peace Plan for the Western Sahara.

Bill Rammell: The United Kingdom has noted the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe's Resolution 1408 (2004) on the Western Sahara.
	The United Kingdom fully supports the efforts of the UN Secretary-General and his Special Representative Alvaro de Soto to find a just, lasting and mutually acceptable solution to the Western Sahara dispute which provides the people of the Western Sahara with an opportunity to exercise their right to self-determination.
	We believe UN efforts to find a solution to the dispute should be maintained and continue to urge all parties to the dispute to engage constructively with the UN.

Zimbabwe

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent discussions his Department has had with the EU regarding the situation in Zimbabwe.

Chris Mullin: We regularly discuss the situation in Zimbabwe with our EU partners. With our strong support the EU unanimously agreed to renew for a further year its package of targeted measures against the Government of Zimbabwe, starting as of 21 February 2005. These consist of an arms embargo, and a travel ban and assets freeze on leading members of the Zimbabwean Government.

WORK AND PENSIONS

Access to Work Scheme

Paul Holmes: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions 
	(1)  what the cost range of bids made to the Access to Work scheme was in the latest period for which figures are available; and what the average award was;
	(2)  by which months of the financial year the Access to Work budget has been spent in each of the last five years; and how often the Access to Work budget has been (a) overspent and (b) underspent in each of the last five years.

Maria Eagle: The Access to Work grant paid to individuals is based on their particular need and can range from the cost of a small piece of specialised office equipment to six-figure sums paid to provide Support Workers. Although information is not collected on the cost range of Access to Work grants, the average amount paid to Access to Work beneficiaries during the last full financial year, 2003–04, was £1,607.
	Spend on Access to Work has exceeded the baseline funding figure in each of the past five financial years. Funding for Access to Work was spent by March 2000; February 2001; January 2002; February 2003 and February 2004. Expenditure subsequent to those dates in each financial year was funded from underspend on other Departmental budgets.
	Total expenditure in each year is in the following table.
	
		Access to work spend
		
			  £ million 
		
		
			 1999–2000 24.4 
			 2000–01 32.5 
			 2001–02 42.5 
			 2002–03 50.3 
			 2003–04 56 
		
	
	Note:
	Figures are rounded to the nearest thousand.
	Source:
	DWP Disability and Rehabilitation Division

Age-based Benefits

Andrew Turner: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many benefit recipients receive (a) some and (b) all their benefits at a lower rate on the basis that they were aged less than 25 years, broken down by benefit.

Chris Pond: holding answer 1 February 2005
	Incapacity benefit (IB), severe disablement allowance (SDA), disability living allowance (DLA) rates are not normally affected if a customer is under 25.
	The information is not available in the format requested; the available information is in the table.
	
		Recipients of income-related benefits aged under 25(25) August 2004(26) and May 2003(26)
		
			  All Also claiming IB/SDA/DLA(27) Not claiming IB/SDA/DLA 
		
		
			 JSA (including those on HB/ CTB) 216,700 3,300 213,400 
			 IS (including those on HB/ CTB) 107,500 77,600 29,900 
			 HB only(28) 10,000 (29)— (29)— 
			 CTB only(28) (29)— (29)— (29)— 
			 HB and CTB (not also IS/JSA)(28) 10,000 (29)— 10,000 
		
	
	(25) Under 18 for lone parents, as lone parents aged 18–24 qualify for the full benefit rates. Couples on JSA where either the claimant or the partner is under 18 also receive a lower rate of benefit.
	(26) IS/JSA figures are at August 2004 from 5 per cent. Working Age Client Group data. HB/CTB figures are at May 2003 and from 1 per cent. data.
	(27) Claimants of JSA are only entitled to claim DLA as an additional benefit.
	(28) Due to the estimation procedure to remove overlaps between housing benefit and council tax benefit recipients, and the collection procedures in Scotland, these figures have been rounded to the nearest 10 thousand.
	(29) data is negligible.
	Notes:
	1. IS/JSA figures are rounded to the nearest hundred.
	2. Totals may not sum due to rounding.
	3. Council tax benefit totals exclude any Second Adult Rebate cases.
	4. Housing benefit figures exclude any Extended Payment cases.
	5. A very small number of housing benefit claimants, where both the claimant and partner are aged under 18, receive a lower rate of benefit. These are not included in the figures but the number is negligible.
	Source:
	IAD Information Centre, 5 per cent. Working Age Client Group sample and 1 per cent. HB/CTB sample.

Benefits

Charles Hendry: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many under-35 year olds are on lower benefit rates.

Chris Pond: Lower rates of income-related benefits are paid to some of those under 25 years of age. Those over 25 years of age receive the standard rate. The available information is in the following table.
	
		Claimants of income-related benefits aged under 25(30)
		
			  Number 
		
		
			 Jobseekers Allowance (whether or not also HB/CTB) 216,700 
			 Income Support (whether or not also HB/CTB) 107,500 
			 Housing Benefit (HB) only 10,000 
			 Council Tax Benefit (CTB) only (31)— 
			 Housing Benefit and Council Tax Benefit 10,000 
		
	
	(30) Under-18 for lone parents, as lone parents aged 18 to 24 qualify for the full benefit rates. Couples on JSA where either the claimant or the partner is under 18 also receive a lower rate of benefit.
	(31) Signifies the data is negligible.
	Notes:
	1. Income support and jobseekers allowance figures are at August 2004; housing benefit and council tax benefit figures are at May 2003.
	2. Income support and jobseekers allowance figures are rounded to the nearest hundred; housing benefit and council tax benefit figures have been rounded to the nearest 10 thousand.
	3. Council tax benefit totals exclude any second adult rebate cases.
	4. Housing benefit figures exclude any extended payment cases.
	5. A very small number of housing benefit claimants, where both the claimant and partner are aged under-18, receive a lower rate of benefit. These are not included in the figures but the number is negligible.
	Source:
	Information Directorate, 5 per cent. Working Age Client Group sample and 1 per cent. Housing Benefit/Council Tax Benefit sample.

Benefits

Jim Cousins: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people claimed (a) income support, (b) jobseekers allowance, distinguishing between contribution and income based jobseekers allowance and (c) national insurance credits only in (i) each parliamentary constituency in the north east and (ii) each electoral ward of Newcastle upon Tyne in (A) August 1997 and (B) August 2004.

Chris Pond: Information for electoral wards is not available prior to 1998; the information for 2004 has not yet been published. The parliamentary constituency information is in the tables.
	
		Income support claimants by parliamentary constituency in the North East:
		
			 August 1997 and August 2004 
			 Parliamentary constituency August 1997 August 2004 
		
		
			 Berwick-upon-Tweed 4,100 2,000 
			 Bishop Auckland 6,800 4,000 
			 Blaydon 5,900 2,200 
			 Blyth Valley 5,700 3,700 
			 City of Durham 4,400 2,500 
			 Darlington 6,700 4,100 
			 Easington 7,800 5,200 
			 Gateshead, East and Washington, West 8,100 4,200 
			 Hartlepool 8,500 4,800 
			 Hexham 2,800 1,300 
			 Houghton and Washington, East 7,700 4,400 
			 Jarrow 6,900 3,600 
			 Middlesbrough 10,600 7,000 
			 Middlesbrough, South and East Cleveland 6,700 4,000 
			 Newcastle upon Tyne, Central 7,700 4,100 
			 Newcastle upon Tyne, East and Wallsend 9,300 5,500 
			 Newcastle upon Tyne, North 6,800 3,800 
			 North Durham 6,400 3,800 
			 North Tyneside 8,300 4,700 
			 North West Durham 6,900 3,100 
			 Redcar 8,700 5,200 
			 Sedgefield 6,600 3,800 
			 South Shields 8,600 4,800 
			 Stockton, North 7,200 5,000 
			 Stockton, South 5,500 2,900 
			 Sunderland, North 8,500 4,600 
			 Sunderland, South 10,500 4,900 
			 Tyne Bridge 12,400 6,900 
			 Tynemouth 7,100 2,700 
			 Wansbeck 5,400 2,700 
		
	
	
		Jobseeker's allowance claimants by parliamentary constituency in the North East and type of jobseeker's allowance
		
			  All claimants Contribution based only Contribution and income based Income-based only Nil benefit(32) 
		
		
			 August 1997  
			 Berwick-upon-Tweed 1,400 (33)100 (34)— 1,000 (33)300 
			 Bishop Auckland 2,700 (33)300 (33)100 2,000 (33)300 
			 Blaydon 2,500 (33)300 (34)— 1,900 (33)300 
			 Blyth Valley 2,800 (33)200 (33)100 2,000 (33)400 
			 City of Durham 2,300 (33)200 (34)— 1,700 (33)300 
			 Darlington 3,000 (33)400 (34)— 2,200 (33)300 
			 Easington 2,200 (33)100 (33)100 1,900 (33)100 
			 Gateshead, East and Washington, West 2,600 (33)400 (33)100 1,800 (33)400 
			 Hartlepool 3,900 (33)300 (33)100 3,200 (33)300 
			 Hexham 1,200 (33)200 (34)— 900 (33)200 
			 Houghton and Washington, East 2,700 (33)300 (33)100 2,000 (33)300 
			 Jarrow 3,000 (33)400 (34)— 2,100 (33)400 
			 Middlesbrough 5,500 (33)300 (34)— 4,900 (33)200 
			 Middlesbrough, South and East Cleveland 3,200 (33)300 (33)100 2,400 (33)400 
			 Newcastle upon Tyne, Central 3,700 (33)300 (34)— 3,000 (33)400 
			 Newcastle upon Tyne, East and Wallsend 3,900 (33)300 (34)— 3,300 (33)300 
			 Newcastle upon Tyne, North 2,900 (33)300 (33)100 2,300 (33)300 
			 North Durham 2,800 (33)300 (34)— 2,100 (33)400 
			 North Tyneside 3,400 (33)300 (34)— 2,700 (33)400 
			 North West Durham 3,100 (33)400 (34)— 2,300 (33)500 
			 Redcar 4,000 (33)300 (34)— 3,100 (33)500 
			 Sedgefield 1,600 (33)200 (34)— 1,100 (33)200 
			 South Shields 4,300 500 (33)100 3,300 (33)400 
			 Stockton, North 4,700 500 (33)100 3,700 (33)400 
			 Stockton, South 3,100 (33)300 (34)— 2,300 (33)400 
			 Sunderland, North 3,400 (33)300 (34)— 2,600 (33)500 
			 Sunderland, South 3,900 (33)200 (33)100 3,300 (33)300 
			 Tyne Bridge 5,300 (33)300 (34)— 4,800 (33)200 
			 Tynemouth 2,600 (33)400 (33)100 1,700 (33)400 
			 Wansbeck 2,300 (33)100 (34)— 1,900 (33)300 
			   
			 August 2004  
			 Berwick-upon-Tweed 600 (33)100 (34)— (33)400 (33)100 
			 Bishop Auckland 700 (33)100 (34)— 500 (33)100 
			 Blaydon 900 (33)200 (34)— 700 (33)100 
			 Blyth Valley 1,300 (33)200 (34)— 1,000 (34)— 
			 City of Durham 1,300 (33)300 (34)— 800 (33)200 
			 Darlington 1,200 (33)300 (34)— 900 (33)100 
			 Easington 1,000 (33)300 (34)— 600 (33)100 
			 Gateshead, East and Washington, West 1,200 (33)300 (34)— 800 (33)100 
			 Hartlepool 1,900 (33)300 (33)100 1,400 (33)100 
			 Hexham 800 (33)200 (34)— (33)400 (33)200 
			 Houghton and Washington, East 1,300 (33)300 (34)— 800 (33)100 
			 Jarrow 1,600 (33)200 (34)— 1,300 (33)100 
			 Middlesbrough 3,000 (33)300 (34)— 2,400 (33)300 
			 Middlesbrough, South and East Cleveland 1,700 (33)200 (34)— 1,200 (33)300 
			 Newcastle upon Tyne, Central 1,400 (33)100 (34)— 1,200 (33)100 
			 Newcastle upon Tyne, East and Wallsend 2,000 (33)100 (34)— 1,700 (33)100 
			 Newcastle upon Tyne, North 900 (34)— (34)— 800 (33)100 
			 North Durham 1,100 (33)200 (34)— 800 (33)100 
			 North Tyneside 1,700 (33)200 (34)— 1,400 (33)100 
			 North West Durham 800 (33)200 (34)— 600 (34)— 
			 Redcar 1,900 (33)200 (33)100 1,400 (33)200 
			 Sedgefield 1,200 (33)200 (34)— 800 (33)200 
			 South Shields 2,500 (33)300 (34)— 1,900 (33)200 
			 Stockton, North 2,000 (33)200 (34)— 1,700 (33)100 
			 Stockton, South 1,700 (33)300 (34)— 1,300 (33)100 
			 Sunderland, North 1,800 (33)300 (34)— 1,400 (33)100 
			 Sunderland, South 1,700 (33)200 (34)— 1,400 (33)200 
			 Tyne Bridge 2,600 (33)200 (34)— 2,300 (33)100 
			 Tynemouth 1,100 (33)200 (34)— 700 (33)200 
			 Wansbeck 1,600 (33)300 (34)— 1,100 (33)100 
		
	
	(32) Nil benefit claimants are those claimants receiving National Insurance Credits
	(33) Figures are subject to a high degree of sampling variation and should be treated as a rough guide to the situation only.
	(34) denotes nil or negligible.
	Note:
	Figures are rounded to the nearest hundred. Totals may not sum due to rounding.
	Source:
	Information Directorate, 5 per samples

Cancer

Ian Gibson: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what policies his Department has in place for supporting employees with cancer.

Maria Eagle: The Department has a range of policies in place to support all staff who are ill, whatever the cause. This includes extensive sick pay arrangements, special leave for staff attending medical appointments, the opportunity for a phased return to work following an absence and the advice and support of an Occupational Health Provider. In addition, the Department's staff can make use of the facilities of an Employee Assistance Provider, who can provide advice and support to individuals who have an illness themselves or who are affected by the illness of a friend or relative. For those who are unlikely to be able to return to work, there is also the opportunity of ill health retirement via the civil service pension scheme.
	In the last 12 months nearly 400 people have had time off work due to cancer.

Child Support Agency

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many Child Support Agency centres there are in the West Midlands region.

Chris Pond: The administration of the Child Support Agency is a matter for the Chief Executive, Mr. Doug Smith. He will write to the hon. Member with the information requested.
	Letter from Doug Smith to Mr. Jim Cunningham, dated 2 March 2005
	In reply to your recent Parliamentary Question about the Child Support Agency the Secretary of State promised a substantive reply from the Chief Executive.
	You asked the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many Child Support Agency centres there are in the West Midlands region.
	Within the West Midlands Government Office Region there is 1 main Child Support Agency centre this is based at Dudley, Pedmore House. In addition we have 3 Satellite Processing Centres at Birmingham, Litchfield & Shrewsbury.

Gaelic Language

Alan Reid: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what his Department's policy is on the use of the Gaelic language; and what plans his Department has to prepare and implement a Gaelic language scheme.

Maria Eagle: Action to support the Gaelic language is primarily the responsibility of Scottish Ministers.
	The Department for Work and Pensions attaches great importance to the promotion and protection of the Gaelic language in line with the UK's obligations under the European Charter for Regional and Minority Languages.
	The Gaelic Language (Scotland) Bill currently before the Scottish Parliament does not extend statutory obligations on UK public bodies in Scotland in relation to the preparation or implementation of Gaelic language plans. However, UK departments and public bodies which operate in Scotland may—like comparable Scottish public bodies—have a role to play in facilitating the use of the language.
	The Department for Work and Pensions has been working closely with colleagues in the Scotland Office and the Scottish Executive on the role we can play, voluntarily, in securing the status of Gaelic.

Housing allowance

Steve Webb: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions when the findings of the comprehensive evaluation of the local housing allowance pathfinders will be published.

Chris Pond: We published the baseline stage of the evaluation of the Local Housing Allowance (LHA) pathfinders in September 2004. Copies of these reports covering the views and experiences of tenants, landlords, pathfinder local authorities and other stakeholders prior to the start of the Local Housing Allowance scheme, are available in the Library. All these publications can also be found on the DWP's website at www.dwp.gov.uk/housingbenefit/lha/evaluation/index.asp
	Further publications covering the first six months of the new scheme are due to be published during spring 2005. The evaluation will then provide a further series of interim publications, based on experience at the 15 month stage, followed by a final evaluation in 2006.
	The full titles and dates of publications of the reports and summaries published to date are:
	Evaluating the LHA Pathfinders"
	This introductory paper sets out the policy context for the LHA and the evaluation strategy for the pathfinders (published September 2004)
	The nine LHA Pathfinder areas: a summary of the baseline position before the introduction of the LHA"
	This sets the scene for the introduction of the policy and provides a benchmark for future reports. It brings together the evidence gathered from the key stakeholders and captures the later stages of the preparation for 'go-live' in the nine authorities (published September 2004)
	Claiming Housing Benefit in the Private Rented Sector: the baseline experience of claimants in the nine LHA Pathfinder areas"
	This looks in detail at the household, housing and financial characteristics from a survey of housing benefit claimants before the introduction of the LHA (published September 2004)
	Landlords and Agents in the nine LHA Pathfinder areas: a summary report"
	This provides initial top-line findings from the baseline survey of landlords and letting agents (published September 2004).
	Landlords and Agents in the private rented sector: the baseline position in the LHA Pathfinders"
	This follows on from the summary and completes the series of reports from the baseline stage of the evaluation. This is the full report of findings from a survey of landlords and agents, carried out prior to the introduction of the LHA (published February 2005).

Income Support

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many families with children have been in receipt of income support for more than one year in Coventry.

Chris Pond: As at August 2004, 6,100 families with dependant children up to the age of 19 had been in receipt of income support for more than one year in the Coventry local authority area.
	Notes: 1. Figures are rounded to the nearest hundred and quoted in thousands.2. Figures are based on a 5 per cent. sample and therefore subject to a degree of sampling variation.
	Source: DWP Information Directorate, 5 per cent. samples.

New Deal for Lone Parents

Lindsay Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people living in Lancashire have gained work through the new deal for lone parents.

Jane Kennedy: 8,060 people in Lancashire have gained work through the new deal for lone parents since the start of the programme in October 1998.
	Data for Lancashire are the total for the Jobcentre Plus districts of East Lancashire and Lancashire West.

Pension Credit

Steve Webb: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions pursuant to his written statement of 3 February 2005, Official Report, column 68WS, on pension credit, if he will place in the Library a copy of the analysis from which the take-up estimates were derived.

Malcolm Wicks: holding answer 22 February 2005
	National Statistics on take-up of major DWP benefits are published annually by the Department in Income Related Benefits: Estimates of Take-up. These are based on the Family Resources Survey (FRS) for the relevant year and take account of both entitled non-recipients and non-entitled recipients. However, they are published significantly in arrears and the 2004–05 statistics will not be available for some time.
	In the interim, indicative take-up figures may be calculated by comparing estimates of entitlement with actual numbers of claimants in the administrative data. Projections from the Department's Policy Simulation Model, based on the 2002–03 Family Resources Survey, have yielded estimates of entitlement. This methodology suggests an initial view that in 2004–05 take-up is over 80 per cent. for those on the guarantee element, and could be as high as 90 per cent. for single women pensioners entitled to the guarantee element.

Pension Credit

Lindsay Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the total value of pensioner credit paid in Chorley constituency to date is; and what the average sum paid in Chorley is.

Malcolm Wicks: Between 1 October 2003 and 31 December 2004 an estimated total of £9.4 million, rounded to the nearest £100,000, was paid in pension credit in the Chorley constituency. The average award in Chorley at 31 December 2004 was £38.32.
	Sources
	Programme Accounting Computer System and IAD Information Centre, Department for Work and Pensions.

Pension schemes

John Denham: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what estimate he has made of the number of pension schemes which were wound up while the sponsoring employer remained solvent between 1 May 2004 and 4 November 2004.

Malcolm Wicks: No such estimate has been made.

Pensions

Steve Webb: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many pensioners receive attendance allowance; and what proportion this represents of all pensioners.

Maria Eagle: At August 2004, the latest date for which figures are available, 1, 403,000 pensioners received Attendance Allowance. This represents 15 per cent. of the total population aged 65 and over (eligibility for attendance allowance begins at age 65).

Staff Surveys

Steve Webb: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will place in the Library staff surveys for (a) the Department of Work and Pensions, (b) the Department of Social Security and (c) the executive agencies of each for the last seven years for which figures are available.

Maria Eagle: The Department for Work and Pensions was formed in June 2002. The results for the staff surveys completed in 2002, 2003 and 2004 have been placed in the Library.
	The available results for the staff surveys conducted within the predecessor departments and agencies have been placed within the Library. This includes the Employment Service in 1998, 1999, 2000 and 2001; Child Support Agency in 1999 and 2001; Benefits Agency in 1998 and the Appeals Service in 2001.

Winter Fuel Allowance (Battersea)

Martin Linton: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people in each ward of Battersea constituency received the winter fuel allowance in 2003–04.

Malcolm Wicks: The number of people in each ward of Battersea constituency who received the winter fuel payments in 2003–04 is in the following table.
	
		Parliamentary constituency: Battersea
		
			 Ward name WFP claimants 2003–04 
		
		
			 Balham 1,475 
			 Fairfield 1,215 
			 Latchmere 1,815 
			 Northcote 1,205 
			 Queenstown 1,485 
			 Shaftesbury 1,425 
			 St Mary's Park 1,665 
			 Wandsworth Common 1,490 
		
	
	Notes:
	1. All Wards based on Census Wards—those current as at April 2003.
	2. The wards of Fairfield and Wandsworth Common are included as they are partially in the Battersea parliamentary constituency.
	3. WFP data is the latest currently available, winter 2003–04.
	4. All benefit counts at ward level are rounded to a multiple of 5.
	Source:
	IAD Information Centre.